Red Eye Revelations
by NicolinaN
Summary: Lisa Reisert is afraid of more than flying. An unexpected encounter at an airport leads her life in a new direction. Jackson Rippner isn't afraid of anything – or so he thinks. My take on what we didn't get to see in the movie. First part in a trilogy. JL
1. Fear of Flying

**Red Eye Revelations**

**Summary: **LisaReisert is afraid of more than flying. An unexpected encounter at an airport, and the spirit of her grandmother, leads her life in a new direction.Jackson Rippner isn't afraid of anything – or so he thinks. This is my take on the movie, adding some to it. Their relation is just too intense not to develop a little. Rated M for upcoming mature content.

**Disclaimer:** I certainly don't own Red Eye; it belongs to Wes Craven and DreamWorks. I do not own the characters of Jackson Rippner, Lisa Reisert or anyone else from the movie either. I wish I had some meaningful part of Cillian Murphy's life, but I don't, and he's owned by no one any way.

**Author's note:** I have read and been inspired by several good stories in the Red Eye fandom. Any similarities with other stories are completely unintentionally.

**Feedback: **…is highly appreciated.

I've re-written this chapter, and every chapter will be edited after my beta has been working through them, so I'm posting them all over again. Most of you have already read it…perhaps. If you have and re-read, tell me what you think.. If you haven't and read it for the first time… well, tell me what you think :)

-

**Chapter 1 Fear of Flying**

Standing in the line for the check-in, Lisa sighed slightly and focused harder on reading her book. Anything would do to take her thoughts off the forthcoming flight – even Dr Phil. She hated flying, and now the plane was late on top of that.

_Super!_

The line moved a step forward and she accidentally pushed her bag into the shins of the elderly lady in front of her. While exchanging some polite excuses, an argument caught her ears. An angry looking man next to her in the line was upset having to wait even longer. The poor woman in the staff was trying to direct some other passengers to their flights, and this man had obviously had it.

"So it doesn't matter that you've re-routed me twice and… This is ridiculous! Go get your boss!" He waved with his ticket in a very unpleasant way right in her face.

"Sir, please don't make her do that! She's doing the best she can." Lisa suddenly found herself intervening. Hotel reflexes.

"I don't think I was talking to you," the man replied with an air of superiority and little-girl-I-think-I-know-best attitude.

She hated that. Opening her mouth to respond, she was interrupted by a pleasant voice from behind her. Lisa glanced behind her a found a cute executive-like man in about her age stepping to her rescue. She couldn't help study him as he spoke to the other man. There was just something with those intense blue eyes and that kind face, at the same time classically handsome and simply cute, framed with unruly dark hair.

"Listen, she's the only one standing between us getting out of here at all and total anarchy."

"Yeah, but-" Angry Man began, but suddenly froze as the other man gripped none-too-gently at his forearm. Lisa jumped a little. _That's unusual…Very straight forward… _

"She's tired. She's been working for eighteen hours and she suspects we all hate her just as much as you do. What do you say we give her a break? Let her go back to a job which I'm guessing is a lot more thankless than yours."

Angry Man had obviously had some retort to make, but snapped his mouth shut at that last comment.

_Right on spot! He should be in my staff_, Lisa thought with admiration as she followed their exchange with interest.

"This airline sucks," Angry Man sneered, and with that he left the line.

Lisa drew a breath with relief. Troublemakers! She had enough of them as it was some days, and today she was simply too tired. As she looked back at the handsome stranger with the persuasive voice, he twisted his face into a 'where do they all come from?' grimace at her that made her smile back. It was like they shared a little secret now.

She was interrupted by the line moving forward. The elderly lady in front of her forgot her umbrella, and Lisa rushed to give it back to her.

"Thank you," the woman said warmly, first at her, and then lifting her eyes to the dark stranger, thanking him as well. As Lisa returned to the line, she took a chance she normally wouldn't have taken; she thanked him too and smiled, knowing very well she gave him an invitation by doing so.

"Ah, not at all. That was just back-up. You got the ball rolling." He had a smooth, slightly raspy quality to his voice that she found extremely attractive.

"Yeah," she laughed, raising her eyebrows. "Reflex, I guess."

"Why is that?"

"I work in a hotel. I deal with people like that all the time."

"Oh. The Marriott? The Hilton?"

"The Lux Atlantic. It's in – "

"Miami. I know it well." _Do you? _Her heart jumped._ I've never seen you there… _He seemed interested and their conversation ran smoother than it normally did with a stranger. It was only within the confines of her work that she was able to approach unknown men these days. But there was just something about him. Something likeable.

He was waiting for the same flight as her, and suddenly he was flirting with her. She knew exactly when it happened.

And she couldn't take it.

It was one thing to stand here, with all these people around for safety, and chat. It would be an entirely different thing to accept his offer about the Tex Mex. To actually sit down with a man – alone.

It would be _deliberate… _

"Eh…" She smiled apologetically. "I have some phone calls to make." As elegantly as she could, she nestled herself out of the mess she had created for herself.

_Not ready for this._

-

-

Of course they were on the same flight. And Jackson unintentionally found himself flirting with his mark. It wasn't like he hadn't known she was pretty – but up close, in the beam of her charm and wit, he realized he was mesmerized.

"But you know what? That's why God created the Tex Mex. Best nachos in the airport, and right across from our gate." Not that he wouldn't catch up with her soon enough anyway, but he found himself desiring just a few moments more of normality with her before it was too late. He realized his mistake as she suddenly distanced herself, barely noticeably.

"OK. Thanks for the tip." She smiled broadly and turned away.

"Save you a seat?" He swallowed, his cheeks suddenly hot and his mouth turning a little dry. _Get a grip._

She turned back to look at him, still smiling. "Oh… ah…" It was obvious she thought it was over the line.

He immediately pulled back. "Yeah, that was… I just thought since we were on the same flight… I didn't mean to invade your personal space or…"

"No, no…" She shook her head, still being polite about it.

"Ma'am? I can take you here." They were saved by the bell. A woman by the check-in called for Lisa's attention.

Twisting back to him, she made a couple of apologies and moved away.

"Sure, I understand. Have a good flight." _As good as it gets…_

"You, too."

She walked away, and left him with an inchoate feeling of loss. His eyes lingered on her back a few seconds longer.

-

-

Lisa walked along the corridor to her gate when, by chance, she spotted the good looking man from the check-in line sitting where he'd said he would be, by the Tex Mex bar.

Alone.

With an empty chair next to him.

In a moment of weakness, she was tempted to walk up to him, but then she decided to play it safe. She wasn't in the mood today for disconcerting meetings with handsome strangers. Well… actually, she never was.

Turning to leave, she bumped straight into a woman who spilled her iced coffee all over Lisa's suit and blouse. Tons of ice ended up inside her blouse, making her want to shriek. _Isn't this just typical! _The woman, naturally, was full of excuses but when Lisa said it was OK, she just turned away and left, shouting something to her husband.

_How rude!_ She sighed, hoping the stains on her suit jacket would disappear in a dry cleaning. _She could've at least offered to pay for the cleaning. I'd have turned her down, but at least an OFFER…_

Changing in an airport toilet to a new blouse from her luggage, she stared at herself for a moment in the mirror; a pale upper body, a practical bra that filled its purposes, no laces or little bows, and the ugly mark on the right above her breast. A thin, three inches long line. Pale now, but it had faded from angry red to pink and finally it had the same tone as her skin.

But it was still as obvious.

Like always, she couldn't help gazing at the scar – hating it and the memories it still awoke. It left her with a feeling of being crippled; it always reminded her of the day when her life had changed. Shrugging it off, she left quickly, hoping her plane would be cleared for take-off soon enough that she could get back home. Lisa always felt more vulnerable when she was travelling.

As she walked across the corridor towards her gate, she spotted him again; still at the Tex Mex, still alone. In an unexpected impulse to do something new, to erase the depressing feelings from the restroom; she decided that a little flirting wasn't that bad. The recent death of her grandmother probably added to the decision at that point. 'Always look forward' was what she used to say; Lisa hadn't looked forward to anything for a very long time. Maybe it was about time she changed that?

He looked surprised to see her and smiled. "Oh, hi."

"Hi. Ah… Is this taken?" she asked, pointing at the empty chair next to him by the bar.

"No. It's all yours."

"Thanks." She sat down, taking her time arranging her bag, not really knowing what she had started.

He kept his eyes intently upon her. "So… Did you get your – calls – made?" He hesitated slightly at 'calls', almost as if knowing it had been nothing but a poor excuse.

"Yep. No more calls." She found it hard to look at him, had her lie been that obvious? Well, this would be just a temporary acquaintance anyway, right?

"Good. What will you have?"

"No." She shook her head, she didn't want this to become more than it already was. She wouldn't let him buy her anything and leave her in debt. "It's… I'm OK."

He surprised her. "If I can guess."

She hesitated, but his smiling charm convinced her to play along with the game. "OK."

"Ahmm… I'm feeling Vodka." He looked at her for confirmation. She didn't want to give herself away that easily, so she just cocked her head and waited for him to continue.

"Definitely sweetened. Ahm… Cosmo?" He gazed at her to see if she agreed and the slight face she made told him it was wrong. "No. Way too common."

She giggled, this was actually fun.

"Screwdriver."

_Yack._

He read her immediately. "No. No. No… Way too boring." She burst out in a short laugh. He was so cute the way he did this, and he seemed both like a man who knew his way around women, but at the same time had this boyish look and appeared just a little bit shy. It was an adorable combination, and she found herself relaxing more and more in his company.

He glanced at the bar as if to find some inspiration and then back at her. "So. That leaves me with the simplicity of the grapefruit or the complexity of the pineapple…" Her heart began speeding up. This was just not possible. He was so close!

"Grapefruit Sea Breeze."

_No way!_ She couldn't go with that. It immediately became too intimate. She didn't want to be that easily read by this complete – yet charming – stranger.

He narrowed his eyes as he tried to get her confirmation that he'd been right. She gave him a meaningful long look and turned towards the bartender. "Eh…, could I have a Bay Breeze?"

He looked devastated for a second and she smiled. "Very impressive talent, though," she added. "Very close."

Leaning back, he waved with one hand. "You know… breaks the ice."

The cute gesture made her laugh. "Yeah."

"So are you headed home?"

"Yeah. Trying."

"Flying is so much fun these days, huh?" There was that hint again that he was used to be doing this. A man in control of his life. Lisa felt a slight thrill at the thought.

-

-

"Fun for me is just getting off that plane in one piece."

_We'll see about that…_

"Oh, fear of flying?"

Jackson already knew that. He knew everything worth knowing about her. He KNEW she always ordered those fucking Sea Breezes. He didn't like that she tried to lie to him. Not at all, actually. Why did it matter? Why would she lie to a perfect stranger on the airport about a thing like that? That element of duplicity about her bugged him. He kept up the conversation smoothly, though. It was easy enough; she had begun to open up a little and it was more pleasant than he had imagined.

"Just a little bit." She marked with her index finger and thumb half an inch apart how little afraid she was.

_I know you are a little more afraid than that, Leese…_

"Were you in Texas on hotel business?"

"No." She looked sad all of a sudden. "My grandmother died."

"Oh!" He took on a sympathetic face.

"It's OK. She was ninety-one."

He gaped in true surprise. "Ninety-one? That's respectable." He meant it, most people he knew had died relatively young. For one reason or another. "What was her secret?"

Lisa smiled. "Grape-nuts…. And a guy named Duke."

Jackson frowned. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah… She said the Grape-nuts kept her arteries clean… Duke… helped with the rest." She waved her hand dismissively and laughed, clearly embarrassed.

-

-

Lisa had almost whispered the last words, suddenly too embarrassed to keep the subject up. Her grandmother had had a life, unlike herself. Lisa didn't even want to THINK of those aspects of life, let alone live them.

The charming stranger in front of her laughed disarmingly. It was a nice warm sound. "Wow. A dynamic woman."

"Nothing fazed her. You know, she was so optimistic. 'Always look forward,' that's what she'd say."

With her grandmother's spirit watching her, Lisa suddenly felt the need to let certain things go. She didn't HAVE to dwell on the past. She could look forward. This was the first man she had spoken to – like this – in two years. Ever since… And it was a heart-warming experience. He appeared so sweet, calm, harmless but still exciting.

She could like him.

She already did.


	2. Jackson Rippner Pleased to Meet you

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**Feedback:** Yes, Please!

**Author's note:** I have read and been inspired by several good stories in the Red Eye fandom. Any similarities with other stories are completely unintentionally. Some scenes have been written so many times by so many authors that in the end some of them may look a little like each other. If you think you recognize something you've written in this story, feel honoured; you've inspired me. If you find it too close to what you've written – e-mail me and we can compare and discuss it on a friendly basis. The story in its whole is still not ours no matter how much we all wish it was!

Thank you all who read and took the time to review my first chapter. It is highly appreciated.

I am now posting each of the chapters again, betad version. Enjoy!

**-**

**Chapter 2 Jackson Rippner – Pleased To Meet You**

Her Bay Breeze had arrived and even though she didn't even remember how it tasted, she needed the vodka in it. The pressure of the upcoming flight and the insecurity she still felt, sitting here and talking to this handsome man, was a little too much to bear.

She could feel his blue eyes on her as she tasted the drink. She made a barely visible face as the taste wasn't what she had expected. Way too sweet with sugar on top would be the best words to describe the experience.

"That taste OK?" he asked lightly, but his eyes seemed to coax her to tell the truth. No, it didn't really, but she wasn't going to reveal herself that easily to him. _Jeez!_ He'd just read her like an open book. It was worrying, but at the same time oddly comforting, like he knew her. _Just don't come to close._

"It's fine," she nodded, speaking equally lightly.

"You sure? 'Cause we can always get you that Sea Breeze." He smiled and tipped his head towards the bartender.

_How come he is so sure of what I want?_ She was puzzled and, to be honest, she found it slightly disturbing.

"You sound like my dad," she began, and was met with a laugh.

Lisa continued. "I say I'm fine, he says 'are you sure?'." She looked at him and tried to sound confident. "I'm sure."

"OK, I believe you."

"Good."

Maybe it was the vodka, or maybe it was the mention of her dad, but she leaned back in her chair and began to relax. This was actually nice. She could begin to see herself doing this again. Perhaps with this man? _Does he live in Miami?_ She had noticed that he didn't wear a ring. _Why did I even think of that?_

He must have felt something similar because he stretched his hand towards her.

"The name's Jackson, by the way."

She shook it, noticing several things at once. For someone so lean he had a really firm handshake, and his hand was so warm… and smooth. _No_ _rough labour there._ Then there was his eyes… glacial blue, unnaturally blue combined with that dark hair. For the first time, she really met his gaze, and shivered.

"Lisa." She tore herself away from the moment.

"Pleased to meet you."

Lisa smiled inwardly; she was very pleased to meet him as well.

"Is it Jack for short?"

"No," he answered firmly. "I haven't gone by Jack since I was ten years old."

Curious, she studied his face. _Exactly since ten? What happened?_

"Last name's Rippner," he added, emphasizing 'Rippner' and gauging her response closely.

"Jack Rippner." She tasted the name. "Jack…the… OH!" She blushed slightly as she realized she'd probably been tactless, asking him that to begin with. _Jack the Ripper--- Oh my god, poor guy!_

"There you go," he nodded with a disarmingly friendly smile, sounding like he'd heard that response a million times before.

"That wasn't very nice of your parents."

"No. That's what I told them – before I killed them," Jackson answered lightly, looking serious for a moment; just as if he really meant it and still it didn't bother him the least.

"What?" Lisa flinched slightly, but realised he was joking and made a face at him, making him laugh.

Drinking some more of her Bay Breeze, she nodded to herself. It had been a good decision to take him up on his offer; she found that she was enjoying the unfamiliar warmth of the increasing intimacy between them.

"Well, if it's any comfort, my middle name's Henrietta."

"Henrietta…" He tasted the name slowly, and in his mouth it sounded like something you'd WANT your parents to call you. …or a lover… _Where did that come from?_

"But that's my grandma's name, though. Was..." Lisa frowned slightly and shook her head at the thought that her darling grandmother was actually dead.

Then Jackson said something that made her heart melt completely. "Well, here's to Henrietta, whose spirit is very much alive." He lifted his glass and Lisa did the same. Drinking a lot more than a mouthful, she thought about the upcoming flight, the recent death, and this lovable stranger.

_Not such a stranger anymore – Jackson…_

_-_

-

Jackson enjoyed their chat. There was a lot more to her than his surveillance had shown. She had seemed to be such a professional, an ice queen, never letting anyone close.

Except for her dad.

_Daddy's little girl._

He was rarely wrong, but Lisa was one exception to that rule. He was enthralled and charmed by her smile and her dark green eyes that flashed with unexpected emotions. She was intelligent and had a good sense of humour.

_In any other circumstances…_

_Jack the Ripper… _He'd had to force himself to smile there. He NEVER let anyone call him Jack anymore. If someone did, he made a point of showing it didn't please him.

He looked at the watch on his wrist. There was still time. If the plane by chance didn't leave on time, he'd have to play it here, at the airport. It'd be do-able.

"So… What is it you do at the Lux Atlantic?"

"Oh. Just… managing our guests… complaints, special needs. Stuff like that. Nothing much." She shrugged nonchalantly and smiled before taking another sip at her giant drink.

She was lying – again. _Why?_ He knew for a fact that she did so much more. That she in fact was in charge of the whole staff and customer relations. The hotel manager herself was sitting in front of him.

"Sounds tough. Do you like it?" He smiled, but added a little frown, as if worrying that it was too much work for her.

She nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. It's… I work all the time, but it's a great compliment when our guests return, or when they recommend us to their friends or colleagues." She was babbling, obviously liking her job a lot. He almost envied her.

"I can see that."

She turned more to him. "So, what do-" They were interrupted by the announcement that their plane was ready for take-off. People around them burst into spontaneous applause. Lisa and Jackson looked surprised at each other. It was almost as if the announcement came a little too early, like they'd needed some more time. Then they did what any two normal people would do; smiled and joined in.

-

-

"I guess that's us." She felt almost regretful. Perhaps she wouldn't see him again.

"Wonders never cease," he smiled, and raised his eyebrows in a slightly sarcastic grin.

"Yeah." She glanced at her drink. Jackson immediately caught the hint.

"Ahm, let me get this." He stood to get his wallet.

"Oh, no. No, Please." She still didn't want to be in debt. It felt too awkward.

"I got it. I got it." He was already having it taken care of, being a total gentleman. She realised she was being stupid. _This is a perfectly normal behaviour, Lisa. You've been out of it for too long!_

"Thanks."

"Well…" he said. "So…" They both stood for a moment too long, looking at each other as if not knowing how to end this. Suddenly a cell phone rang in their vicinity.

He went for his pocket. "Can you hang on? I'm sorry."

"M-hm."

"Hello? Yeah." While he spoke, he made funny faces towards her like they'd known each other for years. It made her giggle. She already felt slightly light-headed from the rather strong drink, and this unexpected flirtation with a very handsome man accentuated that feeling.

Jackson continued into his phone, "Can you just hold on?" Then he turned towards her, pointing at the cell phone in his hand, looking slightly embarrassed. "Ahm, I gotta take this. I'm sorry."

"It's OK."

He shook his head regretfully. "It was SO nice to meet you."

"It was so nice to meet YOU," she replied, smiling, while her heart was sinking at the prospect of losing him before… _Before WHAT, Lisa?_

"Have a good flight. Bye-bye."

"You too," she said.

Then he turned and left without another glance in her direction. Lisa sighed. _If it seems too good to be true… then it probably IS too good to be true…_ And she wouldn't be seeing him again.

_Jackson Rippner…_


	3. Taking Off Turbulence

**Disclaimer:** Don't own, this is purely for entertainment.

**Feedback:** is very much appreciated!

Thanks to my readers and reviewers./Nic. This chapter has been revised 27/10-06

**-**

**Chapter 3 Taking Off – Turbulence**

Slowly walking towards the gate, Lisa began to put her defences up once more. She wondered what had gotten into her, talking to a stranger like that. No matter how charming - he was still a man. And men were all capable of…

There were still about fifty passengers waiting to board the gate, so she took a quick stroll past the restroom and splashed some water on her face. The feared flight was coming up, making her feel a bit unstable and she needed to get back on track before boarding. Seeing images of planes crashing, of hijackings and electrical system failures, Lisa tried to pep-talk herself out of it.

…_if something happens, at least you die fast… - but what about the fall itself? Oh…_ There was just no way around this.

_Just get ON that plane already! _

_Nothing's gonna happen!_

"18 G, it's just down the aisle to the left. Enjoy your flight. Sorry for the inconvenience." The sweet stewardess met Lisa with a friendly smile.

_Look at them. They do this every day, nothing to be afraid of._

Walking along the crowded aisle, Lisa couldn't help but check to see if she could spot Jackson. She didn't. She did, however, see a whole lot of other people she hoped she wouldn't have to sit next to, and exhaled in relief every time she saw that no, row eighteen was still a bit further.

Absorbed by reading the numbers at the edge of the lower ceiling above the seats, she reached eighteen and her breath caught when she saw who was already sitting there. He looked up at the same time.

_Jackson._

Lisa couldn't believe her luck.

"Oh. Hi!" she said in a faint voice and smiled. "Again."

He shook his head, as if puzzled. "I figured you'd be in first class."

"Oh, no, no. Not me. I'm all coach all the time."

"Ah, me too," he said and smiled more broadly.

Lisa's heart jolted a little at that smile; their flirtation seemed to still be on. "Yeah. I… think that's my seat…"

He looked at the seat next to him and then back at her again. "What? You're not sitting here?"

"Well… I don't know. That says 18 G?" She held her boarding pass in front of him.

"You're kidding," he said as he looked at her ticket. "You're NOT kidding." He sounded pleasantly surprised. "Ahm, you need a bellhop?" he asked, jumping out of his seat to help her with the luggage.

"Oh, no. No, that's OK."

"Let me help. I insist."

"OK." She began backing into the narrow space at their seats and hit her head in the low ceiling. "Ah…" Making a face, she held her head and sat down.

"You OK?" he asked, gently touching her arm.

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

_You sound just like my dad. Just as caring…_"I'm not normally such a lightweight." She sighed. "Those were strong Bay Breezes."

"Well, I'm cutting you off anyways, all right," he joked and finished loading her bag in the box above her head.

Lisa had to laugh at that. It sounded like they were already close. She wanted to get to know this man. He awoke feelings in her that she had buried a long time ago.

_Are you letting him in, Lisa? Is that it?_

-

-

Lisa came up to his seat, as expected. It would have been a huge disappointment if something had gone wrong there. He played surprised to the extent that it must have seemed like he almost didn't want her there.

She beamed at him, and he found himself liking that smile and those eyes more and more.

As he squeezed her bag into the narrow compartment above the seats, one of the stewardesses shoved him slightly as she walked by. He could feel his tension rise momentarily and his eyes narrowed briefly as he glared at her back. _Are you gonna be trouble?_

If looks could have killed, she would at least have gotten some unexpected pain.

Sitting down again, he turned to Lisa and put his charm back on.

"So…" he smiled. "What are the odds?"

"Yeah, I know." She frowned slightly, almost as if it made her suspect something.

Easing past it, he suddenly turned completely serious and frowned. "Wait a minute. You're not stalking me, are you?" He looked at her, deadpan, and just waited.

Her smile disappeared and she started to look unsure. _You're so easy, Leese._

Sounding almost afraid, she answered, "N – no." and shook her head.

He kept up the charade a second longer and then let a twitch in his lips reveal that he'd been joking. They both burst out laughing and any suspicions she might've had earlier seemed long forgotten.

_Goal achieved._

-

-

"You got me!"

He kept on laughing. "I'm sorry."

Lisa relaxed. _Holy sh-…_ For a moment there, she'd thought that maybe he was someone really important and well-known and that she'd made a fool out of herself.

With a whisper of a headache throbbing behind her temples, Lisa rubbed the hurting spot on her head and sighed, "Oh, jeez."

"You all right?"

She turned to him. "If I say yes? Are you gonna ask me if I'm sure?"

"No. No. That's your dad's department."

Lisa shivered with delight; he was so easy to be around and he'd caught on so quickly to her way of being somehow. She loved how he'd been paying attention to what she'd said all the way.

It was almost as if he knew her already.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I… Earlier today, at the funeral, I had some cheap wine and combined with the cheap vodka…"

He nodded. "I see."

"I blame YOU for that part."

"Well…" He shook his head. "I feel terrible now."

"You should."

"I do."

While they were talking, a woman in the aisle was struggling with her luggage. They looked simultaneously at her, then looked away, trying to hide their smiles, glancing at each other. The woman kept struggling and looked helplessly at Jackson. She was a little too tanned, her hair a little too bleached, she wore a little too much jewellery, and obviously she found Jackson very attractive because she looked like she could eat him.

"I think somebody needs a bellhop," Lisa said in a low voice. Jackson smiled his beautiful smile and looked almost a little shy all of a sudden.

"Excuse me," the woman said in a pleading voice.

Jackson sighed, unbuckled his seat belt and rose. "OK:"

"Let me." He started to push her suitcase into the narrow compartment, and the woman kept looking at him as if he was cream and she was a starving cat.

Lisa studied him, now that she had the chance and his focus was somewhere else. He was significantly taller than her, relatively lean but still giving an impression of being in control of his body, of being well trained. He was one of the most handsome men she'd met who didn't seem too aware of it. He had a natural charm and ease about himself that she found… well… interesting. She turned cold as soon as someone was obviously hitting on her, and that had happened more than once these last couple of years. It threatened her, made her feel out of control. But this man – Jackson – hadn't pushed it…

And she found herself falling for him. As much as you could fall for someone you'd known for half an hour. But there was something about those honest blue eyes…

"Thank you SO much," the blonde woman said in a tone that was a direct invitation.

"You're welcome," Jackson said in a much more neutral tone, glancing at Lisa with a smirk, making her giggle.

"Just when I thought there weren't any gentlemen left…" the hungry woman pursued.

Jackson closed the hatch and said coolly, "You have a pleasant flight."

He turned around and remained cool until he sat down again, where he sighed, "Oh, my," which sent Lisa into a fit of giggles again.

The sweet elderly woman from the check-in line passed them and waved with the Dr Phil book that Lisa had given her after their discussion in the check-in line about his books, looks and methods of self-help. "I'm already in chapter two!"

Lisa nodded and smiled. "Oh, good."

Jackson looked puzzled. "Eh?"

Lisa waved her hands, dismissing the oddness about it. "Ahm, I gave her this book earlier… She's a HUGE Dr Phil-fan."

Jackson nodded. "Oh. I saw that. That's very nice of you."

"Well, that's me. People pleaser twenty-four-seven." She shook her head, knowing all to well that she never left her job, and that her job never left her…

Suddenly, Jackson's cell phone rang again.

"Well, you ARE popular," she said, feeling a brief hint of jealousy. Who called him so intensely? Did he have someone waiting for him in Miami?

-

-

"I'm sorry," he said, stretching for the phone.

"No. It's OK."

He shook his head apologetically. "It isn't usually like this." _Just when I'm on jobs…_He already knew who it would be. The question was what they were going to say…

Jackson made a thing out of looking at the display before he answered. "Hey. What's up?" In the seat next to him, Lisa looked away, giving him his privacy. _Little people-pleaser…_

Mike Terran at the other end of the line asked if they were on the plane yet and if he called at a bad time.

"Yeah. No, it's OK," Jackson answered shortly. There was never a need for a lot of words in his profession. It just messed things up.

Mike briefed him, telling him that the Russians were set and that the Keefes were confirmed to be on their way.

"So it's definitely happening?"

He got some more instructions. "Aha. Mm. OK, five thirty. Done deal."

He felt a rush of excitement. They were on. Lisa's fate was sealed. From now it would be a walk in the park. There was no way she would dare not to agree to her part in this. It was watertight. Flipping the cell phone closed, he shut it off.

"Work," he said to Lisa. "For the LAST time…" He made a face as if annoyed at being disturbed when they were having such a good time.

Lisa just nodded politely.

They HAD been having a pleasant time.

Which now sadly had to end.


	4. Lisa and Dear Old Daddy

**Disclaimer:** Everybody knows what I should say here... Wish I owned Jackson, though...

**Feedback:** Thank you all dear readers who took the time to review. I appreciate it a lot! And yes, feedback is a great thing! ;D

Revised 29-10-06.

**Chapter 4 Lisa and Dear Old Daddy**

The phone call had killed their easy-going conversation. They didn't say another word for several minutes. Lisa barely listened to the regular welcome and safety messages from the stewardesses and the pilot, too caught up in thoughts of wanting to get off. The plane had begun moving, the engine sounds increased and Lisa rocked back and forth in her seat. Her heart was beating hard and her mouth had turned dry. Glancing out the window, she realised they hadn't even left the ground yet.

_Accidents happen even on the runway…_

Suddenly, with an extra rough bump, they were airborne. Lisa felt like she flew out of her chair and had to hold on to her seat not to do something stupid, like try to get off. It was the same EVERY time. A younger man's musings a couple of seat rows back on that they weren't gonna make it caught her ear and annoyed her enough to make her snap out of her own fear for a second.

"Are we there yet?" she asked thin air, her voice weaker than intended, looking for a little friendliness.

In vain.

Jackson smiled at her. Lisa didn't look at him so she didn't get to see that his eyes had lost their warmth, and that his look was one of a predator, calculating how to approach his prey.

-

-

Jackson regarded her. How was he going to pull this one off? He was a master of playing by ear. That's what had gotten him this far.

Lisa herself had provided him with the best approach. He leaned closer.

"So, ahm… was Henrietta your mom's mom or your dad's mom?"

He could tell that Lisa was obviously too caught up in her fear of flying to pay attention, and it took a moment too long before she looked at him.

"Eh… ahm… my mom's. My dad's - " The plane rocked viciously and Lisa's gaze flickered at the window, and he could see how her hands gripped the arm-rests with whitening knuckles. Jackson could barely hide a smile – her fright amused him. A few moments ago… before the phone call, he'd have felt for her, but now he'd entered his professional role and had distanced himself from her. He barely saw her as a human being any more.

Fortunately, Lisa didn't look at him as she continued. "My dad's died a long time ago."

"Are your folks still together?"

"Ehm…" She looked back at him like she had already forgotten they had been talking. "They divorced three years ago, married for thirty-two."

_What a pity._ He admired people who were able to live together at all. He knew he was more likely to die before the age of forty than get married.

"Oh, that's a shame." The plane rocked some more and he could see how she fought hard to keep herself together. _Maybe she isn't such a wimp after all?_ He kept the conversation running; he knew exactly how to play this now.

"So your mom…?"

"Mom moved back to Texas and Dad stayed in Miami."

"I see. And does Dad still work?" He knew he didn't. As a matter of fact, he knew precisely what Dad was doing at this very moment - at this late hour.

_And, sweet little Leese, I know exactly how you're gonna react when you know it too._

"Yeah… NO. He's recently retired. He's got a lot of time on his hands, so he makes a lot of phone calls."

"OK, so he's filling all his work time with – "

-

-

"Worry time."

Lisa looked up at him. He was so insightful. She hadn't thought of it that way before.

"Does he have reason to worry about you?" Jackson inquired softly.

She flinched slightly and looked sharply at him. It was almost like he knew… _Impossible! _ _It was just a polite question._

She shook it off and replied lightly. "Well, even if he does… I mean, he's just gotta get used to the fact that life changes – and sometimes things happen." The last words were said with an edge to her voice. _Life changes…_

Jackson nodded. "I know what you mean. Usually, when things are going perfectly, you're back on track, everything's going to plan, and then one day, outta nowhere -" He pinned her with his intense blue eyes; there was a glint in them which suggested that he found what he was saying funny, "- somebody forgets to bolt the engine to the wing…"

Lisa just looked at him. _Just the right thing to say, Jackson. Add to my fear!_

"Yeah," she managed weakly.

The pilot returned in the speakers with the good news that they were through the worst of the turbulence. Lisa relaxed visibly and fired off a smile at Jackson.

"Thanks for distracting me."

"Well, it's not really what I'm doing," he said, confidentially, smiling at her.

Lisa looked a little more sharply at him. "What ARE you doing?"

"Just keeping the focus on you and your father." His eyes never left hers.

She didn't get it. At all. "Why?"

He made a small gesture. "Part of my job."

Lisa narrowed her eyes and smiled, thinking she had it now. _Of course._ "Are you a shrink?"

He shook his head, still smiling. "No. Manager."

Lisa looked confused. "Better not say of a hotel."

"No."

"Cause that would've-"

"Given you cause to buy another self-help book."

Lisa felt a tug of insecurity. This was getting a bit weird. He couldn't know she had a whole library of them at home. She KNEW they hadn't talked about that.

"Hm." She turned silent, feeling a bit disturbed. "So, what do you do?"

"Government overthrows. Flashy high-profile assassinations. The usual." He said it casually, like he actually meant it and like it wasn't a big deal. If only the meaning of what he said hadn't been so ridiculous.

_Ha-ha-ha. Very funny._

She played along and narrowed her eyes slightly, like she was in on the plot. "You're a spy. I should've known."

"No, I'm not a spy." He bit his lower lip, waiting for her to continue. Funny, he didn't entirely sound like he was playing the same game.

"A hit man?"

"I'm a lousy shot." He shook his head and smiled.

_Thank God! _Lisa giggled to herself.

"Right. You work for the CIA."

"Well, if I did, I couldn't say, could I?" He didn't let go of her eyes. "But – no."

"The Mafia?"

He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "The money's shit."

Lisa felt more and more awkward. He seemed so different, and she wasn't sure she liked this game anymore.

"OK, well, that's kinda weird. Why don't you just tell me what you do?"

"I already did," he answered, dead serious.

Lisa felt a lump build in her throat. Whatever connection they'd had earlier, something had obviously destroyed it. He was acting really strangely, and had clearly decided to clam up on her.

"OK," she nodded understandingly. "OK, I'm sorry. I… It's… Whatever you do, that's your own business." She felt something akin to sorrow; this was perhaps not going to be such a pleasant flight after all.

She gave their former camaraderie one last chance, trying to joke. "Just as long as you're not – "

Jackson flinched, the smile had vanished. "What?" he asked sharply.

"Hijacking the plane," she whispered.

He burst out in a broad smile. "OH. No, no, I'm not suicidal."

"That's good," she whispered, smiled wistfully at him and looked down at her hands. The conversation was most likely over. The fascinating, cute stranger had turned out to be just strange.

Turned out he wasn't letting go just yet.

"And you're right. You know, most days it IS my own business. But right now, as fate would have it, my business is all about you." He stroked his lower lip with his thumb as he regarded her. Lisa felt a flicker of a new kind of uneasiness. Her heart began to pound as she looked sharply at him. _What do you mean?_

Trying to keep a façade of coolness, she asked, "I'm sorry. About me?"

"That's right," he answered, his icy blue eyes never leaving hers. His face didn't look all that friendly anymore. In fact it looked frightening. His gaze bore into her, leaving her feeling naked.

Her voice shook. "OK… I'm not sure where you're going with this…"

"Charles Keefe, one of your regular VIPs. Ring a bell?"

Lisa froze and felt like her heart had stopped instantaneously. What did he know about her relations with Charles Keefe – the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security? Professional as it may be, she had built a very good relationship with this politician who had a habit of never trusting any one. Her head swam as she was trying to grasp the situation.

"No, should it?" she asked lightly, while her heart was pounding so hard it must've been audible even to Jackson.

"Yes, it should," he answered sharply, without raising his voice, but with all the earlier friendliness gone. "'Cause right now, he's on his way to your hotel, and that's why you need to keep listening."

_No, no, no. This is just too much bullshit! _

"NO! I don't think that… I don't have to do that!" She'd have to go sit somewhere else. There must be another seat. A stewardess's seat or whatever. She could explain the situation, they would understand.

_What happened? What happened to the nice man I just spoke to?_

"Yes, you do. If you want your dad to live." His glacial eyes hypnotized her with their coldness, and his frighteningly calm face was a perfect mirror of the threat. Lisa's heart sped up and her limbs went lax with the sudden outburst of fear.

_What?!_

She glanced over her shoulder at the people in the seat behind them. Did someone else hear this, or was she hallucinating?

"What did you say?" she whispered.

He didn't move a muscle. "You heard me," he answered coldly.

_I'm outta here!_

"Yeah." She pressed the call button on her armrest and started to get up.

Then everything crashed down on her. Jackson stretched over her, brushing his arm against her knee, pulled down the small table and slammed a little black object down in front of her. "Suit yourself. But you might wanna take a look at this first."

Lisa couldn't breathe. Jackson was way too close, the table trapped her efficiently and in front of her lay her dad's wallet.

Without a doubt.

"JR. Joe Reisert. Your father? Yes?"

She gasped in terror. "Where did you get that?"

"OH," he mocked. "I didn't get it. My associate grabbed it off your dad's desk. Apparently next to your… graduation picture." He frowned as if trying to get the details right and then smirked at her.

"JR. Definitely Dad's wallet. His initials."

Lisa had had it. Choking from tears that threatened to start falling any second, she jumped up out of her seat but was interrupted by his calm, smooth voice as he continued. "But, gee, mine too. Jack Rippner. Credit card. License." She looked down at him in shock, seeing him in a blur through her tear-filled eyes. He had it all worked out. Trying desperately to get the stewardess's attention, her eyes darted back to his cold ones as he quoted what he planned to say if she caused a scene. "'For some reason, stewardess, this emotionally unstable, rather inebriated girl whom I've never met before tonight, suddenly went crazy when I took it out of my pocket.'"

Lisa stared at him with huge, scared eyes. In the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the stewardess, but was only greeted with a gesture that she should sit down. The 'fasten seat-belt' sign was still on. She stared at Rippner as he went on, his eyes never leaving hers, the mere coldness in them a threat in itself.

"You tell the flight attendant and your dad dies."

Lisa couldn't breathe, grasping for straws, she looked at the stewardess who only made another, rather irritated gesture for her to sit down.

Jackson continued in a soothing voice that didn't match his vicious eyes, "Sit down." He gripped her wrist with a strong, warm hand, not pulling her, not holding very tight, but obviously not letting her leave either. The smoothness of his fingers contrasted to the grip in itself that added to the claustrophobic feeling.

Lisa jerked and looked down at him. Her lower lip trembled as she tried to prevent herself from crying. She was caught. He had her, and she knew it. Sliding down into her seat, she tried to sit as far away from him as possible as he let go of her wrist.

He leaned into her slightly, stretching his arm past her legs, collecting the seat belt that hung there, handed it to her and added in an intimate voice that sounded almost caring, "You might wanna buckle up."

Lisa trembled even more as he touched her again.

_I don't think I wanna do that. _


	5. Just One Simple Phone Call

**Disclaimer:** I don't own a thing.

**Feedback:** Emptyvoices and BregoBeauty, thanks so much for encouraging me. I love the reviews! And thank you my wonderful beta, Romany. :)

Here goes the next chapter. Enjoy. /Nic.

And everybody! I'd LOVE to hear what you think of this chapter. ;P

Revised 30-10-06

**-**

**Chapter 5 Just One Simple Phone Call**

Jackson knew he had her.

From now on he was all game. Lisa was afraid, cornered and had no escape. They didn't say another word for a few minutes. Lisa was crying freely, but asking no questions which suited him just fine. He waited for the flight attendant to answer the call before he made his next move.

Looking at Lisa, he almost pitied her – but only almost.

She had gone from being a radiant, smiling young woman to a sniveling lump within a few minutes. And it was all his work. He felt proud, he knew he was good at what he did, but at the same time her fear and misery bugged him, just a little. He didn't think of himself as a sadist, really. They'd had fun before, at the airport restaurant. He had enjoyed speaking to her. More than he liked to admit.

Now the good feeling was lost.

_Naturally._ He shook off the slight discomfort and glanced once more in her direction.

"Hi, what can I do for you?" The flight attendant showed up next to Jackson.

"Hi," he replied and smiled amicably, turning his attention back to the presence. She smiled back at him and then her smile transformed into a worried frown as she looked at Lisa.

Jackson turned to Lisa, playing a gentleman to perfection.

"Leese, did you need another pillow or anything?" He took on a look of concern that could've fooled anyone.

-

-

Lisa cringed as he looked at her with something she at any other time would have mistaken for real concern. She wanted to snarl at him, yell, scream, fight him, anything to get out of this suffocating feeling of being enveloped in his plot.

But she didn't dare. She believed Jackson; her father was in real danger. Looking up at the stewardess, she shook her head, even managing the faintest trace of a smile. "No, I don't need anything."

Jackson turned back to the stewardess, adding to her pain, "She's had a really rough day. A death in the family," he whispered.

Lisa jerked at that last comment. No matter how true it actually was, it was still a concealed threat. He knew it, she knew it. No one else would ever interpret it like that.

The flight attendant's concern was less false, though. "Oh, I'm SO sorry."

"Yeah," Jackson agreed.

"I'll get you water and some tissues."

"Thanks," Jackson answered softly. It was like she wasn't there. Jackson spoke for her, making sure she didn't do anything she'd regret later.

"Be right back."

"Thank you."

They were alone again. She didn't want to be alone with him. It was a terrifying experience. Still, good God, she wasn't alone, the plane was full of passengers.

Jackson didn't give her time to breathe. "That was great Leese. Keep doing the right thing. Just… bottle the emotions a little more. OK?"

Lisa almost burst out in a loud cry, but stopped herself. Collecting her thoughts, she turned to him. "Have you done something to my father?"

"No," he answered immediately. "And it will stay that way as long as you keep playing along."

She looked at him. They sat so close. His full lips moved, speaking these horrible words. He looked the same as when they had been talking at the airport. Maybe part from his eyes… How could eyes change so much?

Lisa shook her head inwardly. "What do you want from me?" she whispered.

"Right now," he answered coldly, "I wanna wait for your Kleenex and water, and once we have our privacy we can get back to business." He smiled, but the warmth of it never reached his eyes.

The stewardess returned with the items and said something about Lisa feeling better. She didn't care enough to listen.

"Thank you," she mumbled, not really knowing what she thanked for.

Jackson held the water bottle in front of her, offering her a drink. _Yeah right!_ She looked at him like he was stupid. Sighing, he took a sip himself before he put the lid back on. He took his time, like he was making a point out of it, succeeding in giving Lisa the impression that he was truly in charge here and that he wasn't apprehensive about this situation at all.

In any other circumstances she would have admired that ability.

Jackson turned to her again. "I need you to call your hotel. It's very simple. Just use your managerial pull to move Keefe from 3825 to suite 4080. I'll leave the details to you. You just sell it." He looked almost friendly again, so sure that he had her.

Lisa looked at him in shock. She was being held hostage so that someone would be able to get to Keefe. She had to think fast. There was no way in hell she could live with herself if she helped some criminals to do whatever dirty deeds they planned.

"You've got the wrong person. I don't have the authority to do that." Lisa shook her head, her cheeks stained with slowly-drying tears.

The almost-friendliness vanished and was replaced by a terrifying expression. "Well, I happen to know that you do. You're the only voice that can get this done by the time I need it done."

He pulled the phone out of its holder, stretching it to her. Lisa didn't take it.

"You need me to write it down?" he mocked.

"No," she whispered.

"Well then, what's the delay?"

Lisa was still trying to get this. Why did he want Keefe to change his room? What difference would it make? It simply sounded too weird.

"So… by changing Keefe's room... does that make it easier?"

Jackson slammed the phone back, clearly irritated, making her shrink away from him in her seat.

"Lisa," he snapped, leaning closer. "Whatever female-driven, emotion-based dilemma you're dealing with right now, you have my sympathy." His mocking tone of voice indicated clearly that the situation was the opposite. "But for the sake of time – and sanity – let's break this down into a little MALE-driven, FACT-based logic. One. Simple. Phone call. Saves. Your. Dad's. Life. And it has to be made soon."

Lisa's first instinct was to slap him for being such a pig-headed male chauvinist._ I could kill him!_ That's when it dawned on her; Jackson's face was only a few inches away, but she turned to look him straight in the eyes.

"You're gonna kill Keefe, aren't you?"

Jackson's face twisted into an angry grimace.

"You really need to start worrying more about your dad, Leese."

"How am I supposed to know he's OK, how do I know you haven't hurt him already?"

"He's fine," Jackson retorted.

"Why am I supposed to believe that?" She was getting angrier by the second at this man, who had forced himself into first her mind, and now into her very life. He'd been cheating… lying...

_I liked you…_

_I hate you!_

"Well," Jackson answered coolly. "The last call I got said he was sitting in the TV room, eating left-over lasagna and watching the comedy marathon."

Lisa cringed. That sounded so much like her Dad. And it sounded so normal.

"Relax, Leese," he continued in a softer voice. "By now my guy is probably back in his silver Beemer, parked outside 9321 Blossom Palms Lane. He's sitting in the dark, listening to a little smooth jazz, while he sharpens his twelve-inch KA-BAR." Jackson paused for the impact of it. "That's a knife, Leese..."

Lisa choked at those last words. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest and she was assessing every possible way out of this.

_What if they've already hurt him?! _She nailed Jackson with a fierce look.

"I wanna talk to my dad!"

-

-

She was trouble.

She was fucking defying him. Lisa had been a whining lump and now she was arguing with him. The call was yet to be made and she insisted to get to call her dad.

_Unbelievable._

Rage was building inside him with every minute she stood up against him. This hadn't been going very well so far; she'd put up a lot more resistance than he had thought she would. She seemed to be lying to him about almost everything, even insignificant little details, and now she was trying to manipulate him. HIM!

_You were doing so well. Just make the fucking phone call, Leese, don't make this worse than it has to be!_

_I don't WANT to want to hurt you!_

All the while Lisa kept on harassing his ears, stubbornly demanding to make the phone call. "I wanna talk to him NOW, or I don't call ANYBODY!" She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away, her face a mask of determination.

Pressing his lips into a thin white line, he realized she wasn't going to give in.

"Your dime," he hissed.

With shaking hands, Lisa grabbed for her wallet, and by the devious glint in her eyes at that millisecond, he knew she was going to try something. _Unbelievable!_ No matter how uncomfortable it was, he still had to admire such a will to fight. Snatching the bag from her, he got her credit card and kept the bag out of her reach. A satisfying feeling spread inside him when he saw her pretty mouth snapping closed in anger.

_Little sweet Lisa, don't you try. I'll always outsmart you._

He felt the frustration ooze off of her as she dialed her father's number. Listening to her stumbling few words, he decided it was enough and wrenched the phone out of her hand, making her gasp with surprise and fear.

_I sincerely hope!_

At that point, watching how she kept struggling, and kept fighting back, he realized that he didn't want it to come to where he actually had to hurt her. He hoped instead he could keep her submissive by mere threats until they could go their different ways after the deal was done.

_Just make the call..._

-

-

Lisa jolted with surprise when the phone was pulled away. But at least she had heard her father's voice. He was OK. It gave her a sense of strength, he was all right. She would have to take it from here.

"Did he sound healthy to you?" Jackson asked mockingly.

_God, he's so full of himself!_ Lisa was beginning to develop a headache and didn't answer. Her mind was empty, drained, and at the moment, she couldn't think of anything to do to fight back anymore.

"I hope that's a yes, because that's the best I can do." He slid her credit card through the side of the phone, charging it once more.

"Now, let's get this over with."


	6. Did Someone Break Your Heart

**Disclaimer:** ah, it is so boring to have to rub this into my face at each chapter!

**Author's note:** Yep, that's me, I'm the author!

**Emptyvoices:** thanks for your encouragement and your interesting points on psychopaths (which we are unsure of whether Jackson is or not)

**BregoBeauty:** Your first review on this story made me happy and so proud. Yes, everyone, shoo, go read it! s

**Danielle Anderson:** Yes, this is taking a slightly alternative route within the frames of the movie. I hope you are enjoying this still.

**SmarterThanYou:** Thanks for calling it realistic. I'm doing my very best at that. I want it – need it – to be plausible. Could this happen? Could their initial reaction to each other make them overcome the fear, the fighting and the anger?

**Star:** OK, thanks, I think I keep a pretty good update rate… s

**Feedback:** guess what? I'm like the rest of you – I always appreciate comments on whether you like it – or not.

**On to the chapter.**

Revised 11-06-20 //Nic.

**Chapter 6 Did Someone Break Your Heart?**

"Excuse me." The blonde woman from before, the one who'd looked like she could've eaten Jackson, was suddenly face to face with him. "I'm sorry." She turned to Lisa, apologizing for the interruption. _Oh, don't be, feel free to keep him! _"Can you help me again? Last time, I promise."

Borderline hysterical, Lisa wanted to giggle at the look on Jackson's face, and had to bite her lip to prevent any unwanted facial expression to slip. He sat with the phone raised, and stared dumbfounded at the woman. Managing to fire off both a murderous glare and a charming smile to keep up the charade of being a normal passenger, he bit his teeth together.

"Sure."

Jackson rose and grabbed Lisa's bag from the floor, stuffing it in the compartment above, and away from her hands. He gave her a warning glance that told her he'd kill her slowly and painfully if she tried anything.

"Don't get cute," he snarled before he left.

Lisa felt a rush of both fear and excitement. Somehow his threats fed her strength. She didn't know how or why, but they did.

With hasty, irritated movements, Jackson pulled down the woman's luggage and turned to return to his seat. Lisa watched with fascination how he was interrupted by some more services she needed. Meanwhile the elderly woman, the one with a passion for Dr Phil, unexpectedly came up to Lisa and leaned over her.

"Hello again," she smiled. "You know, I didn't think that this book would be so much work." She kept on babbling about Dr Phil and the book. Lisa barely listened, glancing at Jackson who was occupied but still managed to send her warning looks occasionally. Her heart pounded and her mouth went dry – this was her chance.

"You know what? Don't worry about the surveys. I'll just highlight my favorite parts for you." Lisa grabbed the book and the woman's pencil.

_**I'm held hostage. Tell pilot. Need help!**_

Lisa's heart almost stopped at the look Jackson gave her on his way back, and suddenly everyone seemed to be there. The stewardesses came with their trays, Jackson stood face to face with the old woman, looming like a tall, threatening shadow, and everybody needed to get out of everybody's way.

"I'll come back for that later," the woman said.

"No, no, no, no. Here you go." Lisa smiled and quickly handed her the book, placing the pencil where she'd written the message, praying to God that she'd find it.

Jackson and the elderly woman exchanged some polite words and she was off. Lisa glanced after the lady, a ray of hope shining in her eyes; things were going to be OK. The woman would find that message, tell the pilot and they would do something to Jackson, take him out somehow, and she and her father would be free.

Looking back at Jackson, she noticed that he still had a smile on his lips. He sat completely still for a moment, staring emptily in front of him. She watched his profile, remembering the moment she'd first seen him in the line, and was once more struck by how beautiful he was. She felt almost sad for the loss.

_What if things would have been different?_

Jackson fumed with anger. Pretty little Lisa Reisert thought she was being smart. She actually thought she'd get away with that.

_Don't underestimate me!_

"I didn't want this to get complicated, Lisa." He needed to take some action; he'd have to get that book. "I have to assume she's gonna read that."

"Read what?" Lisa had the nerve to play dumb.

Slamming his forehead into hers, he sent her into unconsciousness.Lisa momentarily went limp in his arms as he caught her. _Sorry, Leese..._ His feelings of rage unexpectedly mixed with something else, something just as primal, as he felt her body go soft against his.

_Why don't you just do what I tell you? It'd make this whole situation so much easier for both of us._

He leaned her head carefully against a pillow and took a moment to pull some strands of hair away from her face. He wanted it to look like she was sleeping peacefully, but at the same time a part of him reveled in the softness of her cheek against his palm.

_In other circumstances…_

A trickle of wetness snapped him out of his thoughts. Touching his forehead, he realized he was bleeding. Quickly wiping it away, he was almost caught by the Caring Fucking Flight attendant who came by to ask him how Lisa was doing.

"Oh, much better, thank you." He beamed at her and imagined simply slashing her throat for being in his face.

"Good." She left.

_Bitch._

Lisa awoke with a horrible headache. Everything was shaking around her and she was bumping around in her seat. The first thing she thought was that she hadn't been buckled up before – and now she was.

_Jackson!_

"'I want you to get excited about your life. But you gotta get real. I'm challenging you –'" Jackson's mocking voice was reciting some paragraphs from Dr Phil's book. His voice kept on assaulting her ear, gnawing its way into her mind and her very soul.

_Oh my God! He has the book! How long was I out? What did he do to the old lady?_

"'- starting now, to stop dealing in opinions and assumptions and start dealing in facts.'"

He droned on. With a frightening feeling of having done something really stupid, Lisa glanced over her shoulder at the lady she'd given the book. She sat with her head lolled back and her mouth gaping open.

_He killed her! She's dead! I killed her…_

Her heart pounded hard in her throat at the thought that she had sent the nice old woman to her death. Moaning as Jackson's monotonous voice continued in her ear, she glanced back again, the plane rocked and suddenly the woman jolted awake. Lisa exhaled loudly with relief and sank back onto her seat. Jackson looked at her with a vicious grin on his lips. _Bastard!_ The smug look in his eyes told her that he'd known what she had thought, and that he'd enjoyed her fear.

_I'm NOT gonna give him the satisfaction. There HAS to be a way!_

"'Fact: thinking when you should be acting will only make your head hurt.' I'm not making this up, Leese; it's right here. Fact: you've been out for half an hour, and Keefe's room still hasn't been changed."

Jackson glanced at his watch and then back at her.

_He has a timeframe. He needs to succeed... and if not... If I..._

"So, I got you some aspirin." He shook a plastic glass with pills in it. "I need you coherent, Leese."

Lisa moaned and snatched the pills from him, swallowing them with some water. Her head felt like it was about to explode and she desperately needed to think straight. Jackson pulled the phone out of its holder and leaned close to her. "Now, let's do this."

_Don't make me do this._ Lisa looked at him with pleading eyes. "If I do it, Jackson, if I make that call… do you promise you'll tell whoever's outside my dad's house to go away?"

Jackson's steel gaze mildened into a brief and unexpected flash of sympathy. "You call, I call, dad wakes up, puts on coffee, never suspects a thing, you go back to work, life goes on." He smiled at her and slid her credit card through the phone once more. "I'm now calling your hotel."

Lisa moaned and knew he had her.

"I don't have to tell you to sound convincing," he added sharply.

She nodded. "You've said enough."

"Good!" The ice was back in his eyes.

Cynthia, the night manager at the hotel, answered and sounded concerned when she heard the state of Lisa's voice. Lisa wasn't able to find a steady voice and didn't even bother to pretend. Instead, she blamed her trembling tone on the turbulence and her well-known fear of flying. All the time she could feel Jackson's eyes on her.

"Listen, I need a favor..."

All of a sudden the line went dead. It took Lisa two or three seconds to understand the chance she suddenly had.

_He won't know!_

With a pounding heart, she explained to the dead phone how it was going to change Keefe's room, while feeling quite proud of herself for her quick reaction.

She jerked when the phone was brutally pulled away from her and Jackson said in a singsong voice, "Cynthiaaaa."

He turned the phone over, the display said 'Temporary service disruption.' His lips curled into an expression of anger and then he almost laughed. "Hah, pretty clear thinking, given the circumstances. Lemme guess: some stress management courses? They're really paying off," he spat. Jackson gripped her chin, turning her face to his, his blue eyes flashing dangerously. "We get outta this; I may have to steal you!"

Lisa shrank away from him. _What's this? What did he mean by that?_

He let her head go with a yank and hailed a stewardess who walked by. "Excuse me, miss? The phones are not working?"

She sounded strained as she answered, "They sometimes cut out during a storm. They'll probably come back once we find some clear air."

"Great, thank you." Jackson bent forward, for the first time showing something other than superiority. He hid his face in his palms and sighed deeply.

"What?" Lisa sneered. "You don't have a back-up plan?"

He didn't answer.

"Why are you doing this HERE?" It sounded all so stupid. _What a lousy plan!_ Even she could've come up with something better, and she wasn't even in his business.

He looked up at her, nailing her with the intensity in his pale blue eyes. "Blame your grandmother," he snarled. "She keeled over, you hopped on the next flight out, Keefe changed his plans, and here we are!"

"So… what happens if they don't start working?" Dread was slowly filling her heart as she looked at him; his nostrils flared with constrained rage and his hands tightened until his knuckles whitened.

If Lisa thought she had been afraid before during this flight, it had been but a shadow of what she felt as he closed in on her this time, speaking almost softly in her ear, suddenly back to being cool and controlled again.

"You bury your dad in a closed casket."

Lisa felt her stomach sink and quickly looked away, clenching her jaws to fight the urge to let out the cry that wanted to escape.

Lisa and Jackson didn't say another word for several minutes after that. They both occasionally glared at the dead phone, praying it would get back on-line again. Lisa tried to sit as far away from him as possible, staring emptily in front of her.

She hated him.

She hated what he had done to her, and that he was nothing but a simple murderer. What she hated the most was that she'd been falling for him back at the airport – a lifetime ago.

_You can be something else than this._ She wasn't quite able to erase the memory of his gentle smile, and his shy and happy eyes... _Please, don't do this… don't be this…monster, be who you were._

With a pounding heart, she finally turned to him. "I know him," she said softly, hoping she could find a way to reach him, to reach that other man she'd seen.

Jackson twitched slightly as she suddenly spoke. "Know who?"

"Keefe. He's a really decent man."

Jackson seemed indifferent. "Well, sometimes bad things happen to good people." He leaned closer to her, intimidating her with his presence, making her dizzy as his scent enveloped her. "Like you," he added softly.

Lisa frowned and looked away, trying to get her breathing back to normal. Jackson leaned even closer which severely aggravated her already quick and shallow breathing._ Back off! Back off! Please, back off!_

"You know, I've known you for a while now, Lisa. Before tonight I mean. And as far as I can tell, your life revolves around your job, the occasional cocktail at the corner café, the classic late night movies… Oh, and scrambled eggs at three a.m."

Lisa's heart pounded hard in her chest. He'd been following her.

_For how long?_

She wanted to throw up, involuntarily recollecting scenes from her life from the last few weeks. Had he been there? Watching? Summing up her life on a piece of paper? The bile rose in her throat at the thought. _Where were you? When did you see me?_

Jackson went on, relentlessly. "What turned you into such a loner? Was it your parents' divorce?"

Lisa cringed; he was getting too close. Way too close. Images from an event two years ago flashed before her mind and the scar on her chest itched and called for her attention. Her head was spinning.

Jackson leaned in even more. "Wait, did someone break your heart?"

_Oh, no._

Lisa's heart crumpled in pain at those words and she leaned forward, trying to protect her inner wounds from his words and the memories they awoke. The damage inflicted upon her soul that day had never quite healed; she had just put the lid on, eventually, when the pain had gotten too severe to bear.

No one had come close since.

She had protected herself carefully – until this very evening. _'Blame your grandmother…' _The memory of her lively grandmother and her thoughts on life had made Lisa act recklessly back at the airport and now she faced the repercussions.

He was despicable and she hated everything about him.

She did.


	7. Thanks For The Quickie

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any characters from the Red Eye movie.

**Feedback:** Please, yes, I would very much appreciate your thoughts on this chapter since it deviates a bit from the movie.

Lisa and Jackson are alone for the first time…

Revised 01-01-07

**-**

**Chapter 7 Thanks For the Quickie**

Lisa suffered from an acute need to vomit and needed desperately to be alone and get some time to breathe and think. She was saved when the 'fasten seat belt'-sign was turned off. Clearing her throat, she tried to look calm as she turned towards Jackson.

"I have to go to the restroom." She looked innocently at him, trying to pretend the last conversation hadn't happened.

Jackson simply stared at her and grabbed his empty water bottle, shaking it in front of her. "Best I can do."

Lisa swallowed hard, the bile rising in her throat.

_I MUST go!_

"OK, you know what? You got me. I'm gonna make that call, when I can make the call. But right now you gotta let me go." She swallowed again, nervously. "I need to go, Jackson."

He regarded her suspiciously for a second, then he seemed to make up his mind.

"OK. I trust you." He unbuckled and stood.

"And I need my purse…"

He raised one eyebrow. "Ha, but not THAT much."

_Shit!_

Lisa swallowed hard and squeezed herself between the seat and Jackson. The intimacy of his body against hers sparked both her anger and something entirely else, more of a tingling sensation deep inside that she didn't want to acknowledge.

Walking on shaky legs down the corridor to the rear toilet, she overheard normal conversations from the people she passed. No-one was talking about killing anybody else. That was just happening to her. Nearly vomiting on the carpet, she slammed into the toilet door and realised it was locked. Dizzy, she leaned against the other wall for support. As she stood there, she felt a prickle in her neck and turned around.

_He's still watching me!_

She turned quickly but could still feel his eyes on her back. She willed him to go away, to sit down, but he kept his eyes intently on her, even from a distance. It was almost a physical sensation, like a soft blow at the nape of her neck. Glancing back at him, she clenched her teeth and turned away again.

"Excuse me, are you in line?" a young voice asked from behind her. Turning, she saw a little girl who had silently shown up behind her. Lisa couldn't help but seeing Jackson in the corner of her eye, looming like a threatening shadow over her whole existence.

She focused back on the kid. "Yeah. You wanna go?"

"No, you were here first." The young girl shook her head.

The toilet became vacant and Lisa threw herself inside, nearly not letting the exiting man out. He gave her a strange look, but she didn't care. Slamming the door closed and locked behind her, she fell to the floor, sobbing openly for the first time since all of this began.

As a new wave of nausea overwhelmed her, she leaned over the toilet and dry retched. "Oh, God!" Sweaty and pale, she leaned back and willed herself to get a grip. This was not her. This wasn't going to do her any good.

_Dad's in danger. Keefe's in danger. I'm trapped with a psychopath who wants my help to assassinate Keefe! Think of something!_

"OK, get up," she whispered to herself. "Get UP!"

Lisa pulled herself up and started to wash her face in the basin. As she began washing her hands, lathering them thoroughly, she looked down at the rich lather on her fingers and then up at the mirror.

_Message! Someone - the next visitor - will see!_

With trembling hands, she quickly wrote a message in soap in huge letters on the mirror.

**18 F HAS BOMB.**

Not true, but definitely enough for someone to take action.

_Should_ _read '18 F IS bomb'…_

_-_

_-_

Jackson was beginning to worry. This was NOT going according to his plan any more. Her energetic, stubborn defence of herself, and her loved ones, was slowly getting to him. She still hadn't crumbled like expected, she had instead suddenly vaporised, disappeared into the restroom, clearly disturbed after their last conversation, and so was he; bothered….

_You should be! _He wasn't even sure whether he meant her or himself any more.

And she WAS trouble, he'd been right. She'd been trouble all from start. Even during his surveillance he hadn't been able to fathom her behaviour, something that rarely happened. People were generally very alike, easy to read. She wasn't.

_Why? Why, Leese?_

He stared at the dead phone and sighed – deeply. If he didn't get this done by five thirty, the Keefes wouldn't be in suite 4080 when the missile hit and all the preps would be wasted.

His thoughts turned back to Lisa. She had seemed like such a lonely young lady. She was always radiant at work, putting up a façade of normality in the brief meetings with hotel guests, staff and, as he had noted with interest, even towards friends as well as family. He doubted anyone really knew her. _Perhaps I'm the one who knows her best at this point?_ He had sat for endless hours outside her hotel, and little beach house, had been following her into bars and gyms. To begin with it had been nothing but a boring job, and in the end he had relished their silent connection, almost regretting even in advance what he'd soon put her through.

She had reacted strongly when he'd asked what had turned her into a loner. Then she'd rushed out of his sight.

_And you let her!_

Dangerous ground. He felt like Lisa was somewhat out of his control right now and he needed to get it back. _What triggered that reaction, the one where you bolted away from me?_ It made him curious. Also, she had a lot more guts than most women – or men – would've had in this situation. _How come? Where did you get that from?_

_What happened to you, Leese?_ He realised he wanted to know the answer to that far more than this job demanded.

A beep was heard, bringing him out of his thoughts, and the most beautiful sight Jackson had seen for a while suddenly appeared in front of him. The phone was back on line.

_Thank. You._

_Lisa… what the fuck are you doing back there?_

-

-

Rinsing her hands and wiping them off, she realised too much time had passed and that she needed to get back quickly before Jackson started wondering. Opening the door, feeling quite proud of herself, she gasped with shock.

_Jackson!_

He smirked. "I was wondering…" Then his gaze shifted to the left of her. The hair on the back of Lisa's neck stood straight up in fright. It took him a full second to take in what he read at the mirror, then everything happened at once. Jackson lunged into the restroom, pushing a struggling Lisa in front of him, locking the door behind him.

The back of Lisa's head hit the wall and she saw stars. She flailed wildly to get him off of her, scared to death of what he might do to her after her attempt to send yet another message.

Jackson covered her mouth with his hand, holding it tight while Lisa twisted and produced muffled sounds underneath. His other hand held a firm grip around her neck. It hurt everywhere as he forced her to be still.

"Don't fight me," he said in a low, almost soothing, voice. "You're all worked up from being so creative. Breathe." He glanced once more at the message in the mirror, and Lisa followed his gaze, cringing as she looked at how it read through his eyes.

A faint sound was heard from just outside the rest room door.

_-_

_-_

_The girl!_

Jackson went still and glanced at the door. For some reason, Lisa also went completely still in his hands. Voices were heard, and as they drifted off in the distance, Jackson angrily slammed Lisa into the wall opposite the basin. He gripped viciously around her cheeks; squeezing them tightly in his hand.

"Please, just stop whoever's at my dad's house!" she pleaded. Hopelessly. Jackson was seriously pissed off. At that moment he wanted to strangle her to death, taken aback by exactly how strongly he reacted to her traitorous behaviour. She still had a phone call to make, though. He exhaled.

_You'll live – a little longer…_

"I already have, by TWICE intercepting these little communiqués." He leaned even closer, wanting to explain this to her once and for all. "You know, if they'd fallen into the hands of a by-the-book stewardess, she'd have gone straight to the cockpit and we'd landed somewhere else." His eyes narrowed menacingly. "If that happens, Leese, our guy in the BMW's gonna know about it. So do Dad a favour – and Stop. Gambling. With. His. LIFE!" Jackson snarled the last part mere inches away from her face.

_Get this now, Leese. Stop trying. Please._

Their noses were practically touching and his body was pressed up against hers to intimidate her all he could. At the same time, it was not an entirely bad feeling – her softness squeezed into his hard body, her scent enveloping him… All those hours, all those weeks, always on a distance…

_So this is what you feel like?_

_Keep your fucking focus, Jack!_

-

-

Lisa was terrified.

Jackson mastered both her body and soul completely, and he was way too close for comfort. She felt his chest heave into hers with every angry word he spoke. Looking into his eyes, his clear blue eyes, right now blazing with anger, they mixed with the memory of the eyes she had found so beautiful back at the airport, the eyes that had looked friendly and filled with humour and warmth. A dull ache spread in her chest. It didn't feel as terrifying as it should to have him this close.

With her heart beating quickly, Lisa took a chance.

"You don't have to do this," she breathed softly. She looked at his lips and then back into his eyes once more. "Any of this."

_Please, Jackson._

Jackson regarded her and some of the anger in his gaze seemed to dissolve.

He leaned a fraction of an inch closer and Lisa inhaled sharply as his lips brushed against her cheek. The stubble at his cheek rasped against hers, and it wasn't entirely unpleasant. When her mouth flew open with surprise, Jackson moved in and claimed it.

Lisa stiffened and her heart pounded as he pressed his warm lips against hers; they felt just as soft as they looked. She didn't move at first, too terrified to push him away. Then, in spite of what she knew about him, her body responded with a tickle in her chest and she felt short of breath, suddenly wanting more of this closeness.

Lisa's feelings of failure had been devastating since he'd revealed the reason why he'd approached her. She accused herself of the terrible misjudgement of his character more than she accused him.

And still, here they were; pulled towards each other.

Her lips twitched against his.

It could be interpreted as if she kissed him back.

Moaning into his mouth, she tried to move away and yet she let him in. Jackson's tongue gained entrance and touched the tip of hers. They tasted each other, a little hesitant at first, and then with increasing passion.

Jackson let his hand slide down her chin, along her throat, where he held it almost possessively, like he would choke the life out of her if she turned from him now. Lisa felt it warm and strong against her skin, her pulse beating quickly against his palm. Deepening the kiss further, his other hand slowly slid down her upper arm, past her elbow where it left and moved to her waist, with his thumb caressing the bare skin in the gap where her pullover had ridden up.

The electrifying touches of his hands on the naked skin at her waist were too intrusive and made Lisa suddenly come to her senses and freeze. _Don't TOUCH me! _

Gasping, she twisted her head and broke the kiss.

Jackson panted as he looked down at her. His hands were still on her throat and waist, the touch burning into her. His eyes appeared anything but cold at that first second, as he sucked on his lower lip, as if tasting what was left of her on him. Lisa breathed heavily and looked at him with a terrified expression. Jackson's gaze slid from her eyes, past her face and over her lips, and then something caught his attention further down. Pulling her blouse a little to the side with his thumb, he revealed an ugly scar below her right clavicle.

_Oh, no. Not that!_ Ugly memories that she had tried to suppress for so long re-surfaced, fighting for her attention. _Man. Knife. Hurt. Shame._

Lisa saw a look of compassion fill his eyes.

"Someone do that to you?" he asked softly.

_Like he cares._

Remembering who he was and what they were really doing together on this plane, Lisa suddenly regretted responding to him; regretted that she had given in to her feelings, even for one moment.

_No, don't you change. Stay ruthless_. She didn't know how to fight him if he turned out to be something more than just a killer. Didn't know how to feed the loathing she needed. If he turned out to be … human…

She shook her head. "No," she whispered.

Jackson's eyes hardened slightly. "Is that what it is?"

Lisa trembled with exhaustion; a hundred emotions surged through her, haunting terrifying flashes from the assault two years ago. She didn't want this man's compassion. She wanted to hate him, wanted to push him away as far as she could.

_You're no different from any other man._

Her whole body shook as she once more mouthed, "No."

Jackson stared at her as his eyes went colder until they looked like frozen lakes, chilling her to the bones.

"You know what I think?" he sneered. Then he violently grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the opposite wall, following close behind, pressing against her as he squeezed his hands around her neck. "You know what I think?"

Lisa was unable to think anything, she could barely breathe, and that quickly became her main priority. Clutching at his hands, she tried to loosen his grip to get some air. _I'mgonnadieohmygodI'mgonnadie!!!_

"I think you're not such an honest person! Because I've followed you for eight WEEKS now, and I never ONCE saw you order anything but a FUCKING Sea Breeze!" If Lisa had been in a state to listen, she would have wondered about the touch of hurt in his voice, behind the obvious anger.

Yelping and gasping, Lisa wheezed, "I can't breathe…"

He shook her for good measure, and then he yanked his hand away, sending her into the wall.

Pulling his fingers through his hair, he had a brief look of despair on his face. Angrily tearing some paper towels from the holder, he poured water on them and began with hasty, irritated movements to wipe off her message from the mirror.

"I've never lied to you, Leese. Know why? ´Cause it doesn't serve me."

Lisa gulped for air, barely able to listen to what he was saying. She was petrified, realizing she somehow had gotten away easy. Her mouth was completely void of saliva and her throat ached.

Jackson went on, relentlessly. "We're both professional. We have the will and means to follow through. ´Cause when we don't, our customers aren't happy. And when they're not, we suffer and our lives go to shit." While wiping the mirror, he kept ranting in a low, raspy, still clearly affected voice.

She jerked when he gently gripped her cheek, forcing her to look at him. To Lisa's surprise he appeared more collected than he'd sounded a moment ago. She shrank back into the corner as she was once more mere inches from his face.

"- and that's not going to happen. Is it?"

They regarded each other for a few moments, both of them still panting from the fighting as well as the kissing.

"No," Lisa whispered, fearfully, finally aware of his strength and that he was actually capable of hurting her.

"Good," Jackson answered. "Because I'm gonna tell you the phones are working again." He leaned even closer. "Are you sure we got a deal this time?"

Lisa's heart sank. _I don't want to do this!_ She should be happy; it meant her father was going to be safe._ But what about Keefe?!_

Finally, she mouthed, "Yes." She avoided his gaze, he had beaten her; there was nothing more she could think of that would save everyone.

"Peachy." Jackson smirked and straightened, giving her some breathing space. "Well -" He corrected his shirt, stuffing it back inside the lining of his pants where it had slipped, and pulled his fingers through his hair once more. "- thanks for the quickie."

Lisa froze. _What an insult._ They both knew they HAD shared a moment of… something, but he didn't have to rub it in like that.

Jackson suddenly gripped her chin again, looking her over like an animal at an auction, probably to see if she had bruises. Satisfied with what he saw, he patted her cheek and opened the door. "Come on." He still had a smug look on his face that annoyed her.

Lisa was stunned – and pissed off. A moment ago she had considered herself defeated, but now she wanted to fight again.

_I'm not letting a man abuse me again. _

_Never again!_


	8. Flashy High Profile Assassinations

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters of Jackson Rippner and Lisa Reisert.

**Feedback:** Yes, please. It is highly appreciated.

Thank you so much my darling readers and reviewers. I feel like you think the rest room scene was smoothly incorporated, I surely hope so, it was important to me.

**Star:** LOL. Thanks a lot! I feel encouraged.

**Atia of the Julii:** Don't you think Wes should do that sequel? What if we all shout loud enough from all over the world at the same time?

**BregoBeauty:** Thanks love! You've been so encouraging all from start! I love you!

**Emptyvoices:** I know, I know… Except that if she had played pretend, my story would have had to take another route! I know - that can be in your story instead!

Finally, Lisa feels guilt and fights back.

Revised 01-01-07

**-**

**Chapter 8 Flashy High-Profile Assassinations**

On his way back to their seats, Jackson was embarrassed by the fact that he was still semi-aroused. He had never before let anyone involved in his job affect him the way he let Lisa.

He'd had a little encounter with that bitch of a stewardess after they'd left the restroom. 'This isn't a motel,' she'd said. _Fuck you!_ He had given her one of his most disarming smiles and acted as if he'd just been making love. _Making love? Why not simply call it fucking?_ But the fact remained; Lisa wasn't a woman he could think of that way… There was just something about her integrity, the mystery about her… the eagerness she awoke in him to reveal what lay underneath that façade.

They HAD kissed, though. It had been fantastic. He hadn't even seen it coming himself, it had just happened.

'_18 F HAS…' _

_Hah!_

He'd have to keep her on a short leash for the rest of the trip. He couldn't allow her to do anything like that again; she was a lot more inventive than he would have given her credit for. _She isn't a hotel manager at her age for nothing!_

As he sank down in the seat next to her, he tried to catch her eyes, but Lisa refused to look at him.

_Well, fun's over, little one. Never, ever mix business with pleasure…_

_-_

_-_

Jackson crowded her personal space again as he sat back down. Lisa's heart pounded hard in her chest. She had a plan, a weapon. It was a pen she'd found at a table she'd passed when Jackson was occupied by the flight attendant in the back. She didn't know how to proceed yet, just as long as he didn't discover it. She wasn't sure he would let her get away once more or if he would actually find a way to throw her off the plane if he found out.

"I need you to pull yourself together, Lisa." He glanced around the cabin and then back at her. "We seem to have attracted a little attention. Once they've made their rounds, we'll make the call." The flight attendant appeared by their seats and Jackson looked up at her.

"Trash?" Lisa stole a glance at him as he smiled and handed the stewardess their empty bottles. Her heart jumped at the friendly, cute look he displayed. _How can he look so different when he turns off that friendliness? Is it just a mask, or does he have a part of that in him too?_

Just then, he switched it off again. Stretching for the phone, he once more went all businesslike. Swiping the credit card and dialling the number, he handed her the phone and said in a soft, almost tender voice, "It's time."

Lisa's shoulders slumped as she stared at the phone as if it would bite her. With a heavy hand, she took it and listened for the dialling tone.

Jackson laid his hand over hers and flipped the phone to the other side of her head, so he could read the display. "Thank you!" he said cheerily.

Lisa went numb inside as Cynthia answered. There was no turning back now. She felt Jackson's blue eyes on her all the time as she explained to the confused young woman how and why she needed to switch the rooms, making up the lie as she went along. It went smoother than she would have imagined; she was a surprisingly good liar.

"-just tell them I authorised it…" Lisa finished, while her conscience crumbled and died inside of her.

Cynthia excused herself at the other end; she suddenly had a lot to do. The line went dead, and the phone slid out of Lisa's sweaty hand, landing in her lap.

_It's done. I've killed him._

Her feeling of guilt was overwhelming and her heart pounded heavily in her chest. _Why doesn't it just stop beating?_ A tear threatened to slip down her cheek. She was sure that if the threat had concerned only her own life, she'd have let them kill her, because the pain of knowing she was taking part in a murder just wasn't worth it.

_They knew what they did when they went for dad instead… _

_Wonder if that was HIS idea?_

-

-

Jackson swallowed hard. "Outstanding!"

He meant it. She had done an excellent job - at last - and now all they had to do was wait. The plane would soon be landing, he'd receive a message on the cell phone, and it would all be finished.

He exhaled in relief. "We're close."

_And I'll never see Lisa again…_

_Hey, hey, hey! Snap out of it! _

Lisa pulled the phone out again and handed it to him. "What?" he asked.

She looked pleadingly at him. "You know what," she almost whispered. "My dad. Make the call. Your part of the deal."

He took the phone and put it back in the holder, shaking his head as he did. "I still need you."

"You promised," she begged with tears in her eyes.

_Awww…_ A part of him felt guilt for causing her this pain, and the feeling was so unexpected and unwanted that he immediately had to cover it with sarcasm. "And I'll keep that promise. As soon as we're on the ground, I'll get confirmation that Keefe has been handled…"

"While you wait for confirmation – what if your guy decides to kill my dad because YOU didn't make the call?!" she whispered fiercely. _What a temper, Leese! _Again, that edge she had thrilled him and made him want to know more.

"He doesn't make a move unless I say so. He's a good dog. He responds only to his master's voice." Jackson smiled at her as he spoke. He felt a lot more relaxed now; from here on it would be a walk in the park. He could even afford to be a little kinder with her; she was obviously in agony over what she'd done.

_That's understandable. Shows you're human, Leese._

"It'll all be over soon," he continued reassuringly. "The Keefes will be history, your dad will be safe and we can all go back – "

"What did you say?" Lisa interrupted him.

Jackson looked surprised at her. "What?"

"His family's with him? You're gonna kill his family too?" The look in her eyes was so intense that he was taken aback by it. He didn't like the accusation in them at all. He had avoided all thoughts of the two kids who were going to die; the eight year old boy and the thirteen year old girl. It had to be this way, but he wasn't that much of a hardened assassin that it didn't feel like shit… killing the children…

And now Lisa rubbed it in his face.

Jackson swallowed hard, fighting back any emotion that threatened to slip. "Somebody wants to send a big BRASH message – that's their business. I do my part - move on."

_Leese, fuck!_ _Let it go!_

-

-

Lisa's head spun and she felt sick all over again. This was far, far worse than she had thought. She'd never have made the call if she'd known. They would have had to kill both her and her father.

_The WHOLE family! _"Oh my God!" she moaned.

Jackson flinched next to her, leaning close, he whispered, "Lisa, shhhh."

She held her hands over her mouth, muffling the scream that wanted to escape. As the crew began preparing the plane for landing, Lisa bent over in both real and faked pain, moaning. _I gotta do this now._

An irritated Jackson glanced at her. "What's wrong now?"

"You hit me on the head and slammed me against the wall, remember?" That was true, but not even close to the reason for why she bent over. She started fiddling with the waist of her skirt, trying to retrieve the little object she had put there earlier, without him noticing. Her weapon – the pen.

Jackson sneered at her, "Well, suck it up. We've come too far. Don't blow it now."

_Oh, I'm gonna blow it all that I can, Jackson! And I don't CARE what you do to me, but I won't let you hurt those kids if I can prevent it!_

Finally, she got hold of the pen.

"Come on, sit up. Sit up, Leese," he ordered. "We're almost there…"

Lisa sat back up and glanced at him. No, he hadn't noticed. _Good! _

'_He only listens to his master's voice…_' Lisa recalled Jackson's own words from before. _His VOICE… _

What needed to be done sickened her, but it would be a lot worse not to try.

As the final messages before landing were heard in the speakers, Lisa looked out at the early morning sun over Miami. She was home. A look of determination crossed her face.

She jerked as Jackson suddenly spoke.

"Once we're at the gate, I'll follow you into the terminal. We'll hit Starbucks, grab a couple of lattes, kill ten, fifteen minutes till I get the call that Keefe's been taken out. And then – I walk out of your life. Aww…" He sounded like he expected her to regret losing him. _Are you out of you mind, Jackson?!_ He continued. "Once I'm outta your line of sight, I'll call off Mr Killer from outside Dad's and then you're free. Free to yell – and scream. Call your dad; tell him to run to the neighbour's. Sound good?" Jackson seemed so disgustingly satisfied with himself. Lisa looked at him without saying a word. He raised his eyebrows.

"Whatever you say," she finally answered, indifferent, and looked out the window again.

"What? No questions?"

Lisa gave him a very tired glance. "What good have they done me so far?"

He looked surprised and then he smirked. "Best question you've asked all night."

_Whatever, JACK!_

As they took ground with a series of bumps, Lisa realised she was cured from her fear of flying. There were far more serious things to fear in life. Whatever happens, happens. The only things you need to worry about are the things you can do, or not. And the most evil of all is what humans do to each other.

Some passengers applauded as the plane had landed and Jackson cheerfully joined in. Lisa was too preoccupied with her plan to think of what went on around her.

Silently, she unbuckled her seat belt long before it was allowed.

-

-

Jackson jolted in his seat as Lisa suddenly spoke. "It happened in a parking lot," she said with a small, trembling voice. "The scar."

He tried to catch her eyes, but she refused to look at him, obviously too affected by what she was about to tell.

"Two years ago." She paused briefly. "In the middle of the day." Emphasizing 'day' it seemed like she thought it was worse, that it had happened during daytime. His heart skipped a beat and time stood still; he knew what was to come. He had figured it out a while ago; that it had to be an assault of some kind. Possibly a rape. That would explain a lot of things in her behaviour – both during his surveillance and during their brief flirtation at the airport.

"He held a knife to my throat – the whole time…" Jackson frowned and actually felt her pain. Someone had scarred this beautiful, strong woman, broken her spirit – or at least tried.

He didn't consider for one moment that perhaps he was guilty of the same.

"Ever since I've been trying to convince myself of one thing, over and over."

Jackson got it. _Of course!_ "That it was beyond your control."

To his surprise, Lisa slowly shook her head. "No." Then she looked at him for the first time since she began telling the story, the intensity in her eyes almost made him lose his breath for a moment. "That it would never happen again!"

Jackson was amazed. He had been underestimating her – again.

-

-

The fasten seat belt-sign finally went off, and as he was distracted by it, Lisa struck. Forcefully stabbing the pen into Jackson's throat, she finally got her window of opportunity. Gasping, Jackson stared wide-eyed at her as she jumped over him, grabbing his phone from his belt as she went. She fell flat as his hand snuck out and gripped her ankle. Lisa yanked her leg loose, got up and ran through the corridors of the plane, jumping over bags, and squeezing herself between people as it got more and more crowded.

She came to a sudden stop at the front and jumped with fearful impatience as she final preparations were made before the door could be opened. Her heart seemed to beat its way out of her chest from the adrenaline high. Suddenly she heard a woman yelling in a thick Texas accent, "Hey! Stop that woman, she stabbed the guy!" Glancing quickly towards the voice, she noticed it was the same blonde who had taken a liking in Jackson. _Of course YOU'D be on his side!_

At that moment the door opened and Lisa bolted.

She heard more screaming behind her and something about a call for airport security. Running through the terminal, she heard more calls for guards to the M 2-gate. _They're out for ME!_ Willing her feet to walk instead of run, she strolled as a couple of guards rushed by, then she ran again. Suddenly there were guards everywhere, and Lisa stopped at a news stand, hiding her face and pretending to read a magazine.

As she'd rushed from the plane, she had tried to call the hotel from Jackson's cell phone, but it hadn't connected. Now she just had to wait, with her heart pounding, for the guards to pass. She felt terrible for hurting Jackson, possibly killing him. She had no idea what kind of damage she'd done, but it could be severe. There was no reason for her to have any second thoughts about having injured him, but still the feeling was there, lurking under the surface.

The coast became clear, and Lisa peeked around the corner to look for more guards. To her utter shock and despair, she saw Jackson instead – _Oh NO!_ - and he spotted her at the exact same time. Dropping the magazine, she fled.

_He should be dead! Or at least incapacitated! _

Completely forgetting that she a moment ago had felt bad about having hurt him, Lisa ran for her life through the long corridors. Whenever she looked he was still at her tail, running furiously to get to her, his arms and legs pumping effectively – and he was closing in fast.

She knew he'd show her no mercy this time.

Yeah, it was possible that he'd intended to let her go once he'd received the phone call, and he had been almost friendly and quite relaxed at the end of the flight… but now there would be repercussions. Lisa had no doubt in mind that she was at the top of Jackson's list of people to kill - painfully. Just a quick glance backwards every once in a while heightened that suspicion. He was following her relentlessly.

Panting heavily with fear and exhaustion, she reached the airport shuttle and dove inside, hiding behind a pillar.

_PleaseGodshutthedoors! _

"Come on, come ON. Close, CLOSE," she whispered, unaware of the other passengers' eyes on her.

Lisa jerked and threw herself back as Jackson came into sight just as the door began sliding shut. He bolted but didn't make it, hitting the closed doors with the palms of his hands he stared at her furiously. Then he had to jump back as the outer doors began closing as well.

For a moment they stared at each other - both with wide open eyes, filled with disbelief - and then the train pulled away.


	9. When You Think It's Over

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything!

**Feedback/Author's note: **

**Teegan:** _(This reply has been edited some by the author)_Well…. Thanks for liking my writing and thanks for the long review. :)

I wrote this fic to get it out of my heart where it was slowly burning a hole. It was mainly for selfish reasons. Then it's fun to post and to see if anyone else seems to have the same disposition. I did try to write a little warning in the beginning of the first chapter that it is a re-write of the movie with my take on it… It won't deviate a lot from the movie; that just didn't happen in my head. It deviates enough, though, to make the sequel (that I'm writing) plausible. (The last chapter deviates the most, though, bear with me)

**Star:** Thanks. Yes, A sequel is in progress.

**SmarterThanYou:** Thank you, love. OK… I hear you. Love him that much, huh? LOL

**Emptyvoices:** LOL You always seem to think we have the same way of looking at it, and I always keep thinking: No, we don't! I see Jackson as someone that would've been impossible to find after it was all over and that he would never have had to kill Lisa and Joe since… he simply would disappear like he never existed. Maybe he's even impossible to find in the system?

**BregoBeauty:** Thanks, hon! It's very, very encouraging to hear.

**Singalong:** Writing action and love scenes are the most fun – and the most difficult to get the right pace in. I'm happy you seem to think I got it right, then.

**Atia of the Julii:** Oh, sorry about that! You are right, and I didn't think of it. English is not my first language… I can blame that. :blushes: Thanks, I'm so glad you like it!

**Overall:** don't hesitate to let me know what you think. And I sincerely hope the last two chapters won't be boring… We all know what's gonna happen… and what we WOULD have wanted to happen :grins evilly:

Revised 01-02-07

**-**

**Chapter 9 When You Think It's Over **

Lisa acted on instinct; doing things she would never have believed herself capable of. _Funny how strong they can be – survival instincts. _She'd stolen a jeep from outside the terminal and was now driving at seventy or eighty down the highway, towards her dad's house.

Almost crashing the car into the side of another, she hastily buckled up and flipped the cell phone open. _YES!_ Connection.

"Cynthia!"

Calling the poor desk clerk again, she hastily explained what needed to be done and how urgent it was.

And Cynthia didn't get it.

_Aaaahhhh!_ "Pull the fire alarm! Get everybody out. Cynthia, Keefe is a target! Tell them Keefe is a target!" she yelled.

The other end of the line went silent, but she could still hear the normal lobby sounds in the background, then a satisfying feeling spread within her as she heard the unmistakable scream of the fire alarm. Cynthia had finally gotten the message.

Disconnecting, she called another - and equally urgent - number. "OK, one more. Come on, one more." Two rings must have been heard at Joe Reisert's house, then the battery of Jackson's cell phone died.

"DAMN IT!"

Speeding through the increasingly dense morning traffic, she reached the outskirts of her father's neighbourhood.

-

-

At Blossom Palms Lane everything seemed quiet. It was still early morning, and most people were probably still taking their morning showers and preparing breakfast.

Her eyes went wider as she spotted the sleek silver coloured BMW standing opposite her dad's house. The nightmare hit her with a vengeance – Jackson was still out there and everything he'd been saying was true.

_And he never lies…_

_What if he's already made the call somehow? From a payphone?_ She hadn't expected him to get back into action so soon after her assault. Maybe he even had a voice? She had very sparse medical knowledge and had no idea what kind of damage she had or hadn't done.

Slowly passing by the car, she surprisingly found it empty. _What? Where…_ Looking between the trees at the other side of the street, her heart almost stopped as she saw a man standing outside her father's door. "Oh my God!" Without thinking, she hit the gas pedal and turned the steering wheel.

The hitman shot at her several times as she sped towards him, then she blacked out as the car hit him and the house, and the steering wheel connected with her forehead, all at once. Lisa sat numbly with her face pressed into the steering wheel for several moments. Her head had been hurting for the last couple of hours, and it only got worse.

_No airbag?! What kind of a car doesn't have an airbag!? _

With a flinch, she pulled herself out of her shocked state and stepped out of the hissing and wheezing car on trembling legs.

_Dad?!_

Carefully passing the hitman, lying on the floor in the hallway, she realized that this was a death she definitely would have on her conscience. Stopping in her tracks for a harrowing moment, she watched fascinated as the pool of blood by his head grew wider.

"Lisa?" The sound of her name snapped her head up, and back in reality she was looking at the most beautiful sight she'd seen all night. _DAD!_

"Dad."

"Lisa, what the hell?!"

"Did you call 911?"

"I already did. Who is this?"

"I can explain that, are you OK?" Lisa's father looked completely confused and Lisa herself was trying to pull the pieces together now. There was something very important she needed to remember. _He's OK. I'm OK. I've got to call THE HOTEL!!!_

"Am I OK? Come on!"

"I have to call the hotel." She went for the living room to get a phone while her dad was still trying to talk to her behind her back.

"OK, OK. You're OK." She touched his hands to make sure he was still there, still alive.

_The Keefes!!! _

Her dad disappeared into the kitchen as she called Cynthia. _Oh My GOD! What if I sent Cynthia to her death?!_

"Lux Atlantic Resort." Cynthia's voice at the other end of the line was weak and trembling, but clearly alive.

"Cynthia! Are you OK?"

"Yeah…"

"Is everyone else OK?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure. We're all OK, I think…" Lisa heard something crashing in the background. "Ehm… oh my God, you'd better get down here. I have no idea how I'm gonna explain this."

Lisa would have smiled, had she not been so tired; Cynthia was still Cynthia.

"OK, OK. Eh… I'm on my way."

Rushing to the kitchen, she called for her dad. "Dad I need your keys. We have to get to-"

_JACKSON!!!!_

Stopping dead, she stared at the man of her worst nightmares, standing in the middle of her father's kitchen. Her heart began beating at an impossible speed and her legs momentarily turned into jelly. Uttermost fear and disbelief surged through her as they regarded each other. Flashes from the last seconds she'd seen him at the airport re-played in her mind. His eyes – was it almost disappointment she'd seen there those last moments?

"Hi," he wheezed, sending her a vicious glare, his vocal cords seemingly affected by the trauma. Jackson had tied a deep red scarf around his neck. _Smart, covers the blood…_ His hair was a mess and his handsome face twisted into anger and hate.

Lisa took a couple of steps back as Jackson walked towards her. Her eyes flickered. "DAD?!" she shouted.

Jackson moved even closer. "Oh, he's not dead," he rasped, covering the hole in his throat with a couple of fingers as he spoke. It seemed to hurt him to produce the words. "I wanted him to see what I'm gonna do to YOU first!" Jackson closed in on her with a terrifying expression on his face.

Lisa shook with fear. _Do WHAT to me? Where's Dad? _She needed to get away from a Jackson on a quest for revenge, but she couldn't leave the house without her dad - it would be sentencing him to death at Jackson's hands.

Lisa bolted and took another route to the kitchen, around Jackson. Her dad was lying, seemingly lifeless, on the floor and she sank to her knees, trying to get him to wake up.

"Dad! Come on. You have to get up." He didn't move. Lisa sighed with relief when she found that at least he was breathing regularly.

Sounds of feet told her that she wasn't alone. Looking up from behind the bench, she stared wide-eyed at Jackson who stretched out a hand at her father. "You see, Lisa, I never lie," he snarled, his breath wheezing painfully for each word. _I did that!_ she thought with a sense of pride.

Lisa backed away as he approached. "OK, so is this personal now?" Her voice shook as she asked, afraid of whatever the answer would be.

He cocked his head. "Just finishing the job."

_I don't believe you! _Lisa remembered that look, that 'I can't believe you did this to me'-look. It had said more than his words.

"I thought you never lied." She stared challenging back at him, feeling temporarily safe with the kitchen bench between them.

_I'm getting to him, it IS personal! Good God, what have I done? _

It was the third time this morning that question had hung heavy on her. The first time, she had believed that she'd by being stupid had endangered the older woman's life on the flight; the second time had been after she'd learnt that she had not only helped with killing Keefe, but his whole family. And now she'd had a professional murderer follow her into her dad's kitchen, intent on killing both of them.

Somehow it was worse – far worse – that it was personal… It meant he would never give up.

He darted to the left, trying to reach her. Lisa jumped away, keeping the counter between them.

"I don't," he rasped viciously. "You're just a loose end."

Lisa triumphed as she threw the beautiful truth in his face. "Well, you're too late. Everyone's alive!" Jackson's face darkened as Lisa continued. "In that hotel, every single person is alive." She almost smirked at the look on his face. He had failed, and now HE was the one in trouble. "What? You didn't know? You FAILED, JACK!!!"

His eyes widened and they flamed with blue heat, like metal burning, as his face twisted in hate. "I – I'll finish the job!"

Lisa shook her head. This was a war she couldn't afford to lose. And it was between them, they were equals now. He'd hurt her, she'd hurt him. But they were on HER ground now. _This is my HOME!_

"Not in MY house!"

He jumped at her, and she ran. Pulling a chair down behind her, she heard the crash as he stumbled over it and knew that she had bought herself a few more seconds.

Her heart sped alarmingly as she waited at the top of the back stairs, listening to the silent house for any sounds from Jackson. Holding the heavy fire extinguisher - the first thing she'd been able to grab that was big enough to use as a weapon - she waited. Finally she heard him, and as soon as she spotted him, she threw it. _Damn! Missed!_ As he reached the top of the stairs, she jumped out from her hiding place and headbutted him, sending him tumbling down the stairs.

_Ahhhh_ . Lisa fell to her knees. Her head hurt like hell, and she needed a plan.

-

-

_Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK!_ Jackson sprawled, in pain, halfway down the stairs. Every one of them had hit his head or back as he fell.

The headache he could do nothing about, but overall it worked well to fuel his fury. He couldn't believe the guts this woman had, going after HIM. If he hadn't been so pissed, he'd have actually liked her… He HAD liked her, but that was before… before she humiliated him and started beating the shit out of him.

Stumbling down the rest of the way, he locked the door to the staircase behind him._ I don't like surprises. Now stay there, Leese. _

Finding his way to the hallway, limping heavily, he turned over his dead associate and located the twelve-inch knife. _Damn, this house is worse than a fucking maze. _

Carefully, he began searching the house. _Where is she? _He couldn't believe his misfortune. This little GIRL had outmanoeuvred him.

_Yes, LISA, it is personal now! _

-

-

Lisa quietly entered the back door. Her father was still unconscious and she tried to lift him, to get him out of the house, but he was way too heavy for her. Staggering, she hit a plate and it fell to the floor with a deafening clatter. Quickly, she dragged her dad across the floor and hid him behind the counter. Maybe Jackson would be too occupied to look.

_I'll keep you occupied!_

She waited in silence for him to get down there, and he didn't disappoint. He looked like he couldn't believe his eyes when he stared at the empty space at the floor.

"Hey," she whispered from her hiding place in the adjacent room. As his head snapped in her direction, she bolted.

With a furiously limping Jackson on her heels, she darted back up the main stairs, hurling a chair at him as she reached the top. He evaded that too and with a growl, he threw himself at her but Lisa managed to slam and lock the bathroom door before he could reach her.

Panting heavily, she stared at the doorknob as it twisted. Trembling from exhaustion, she leaned her forehead against the door, virtually feeling his presence at the other side.

Hearing him breathe, and pant, just like her, she revelled in knowing he wasn't invincible.

"Where's you male-driven, fact-based logic now, JACK?" Lisa exhaled slowly, trying to get back control over her rapidly beating heart. "I don't think that's what got you here…" She leaned closer, needing some kind of reaction from the other side of the door. "Did you hear me?"

_What ARE you doing, Jackson? Why are you here? _


	10. Find Me If You Can

**Author's Note:**

**Teegan:** again. I'm sincerely sorry if I sounded like a b…. in my response. My husband told me I did. : ( Maybe you hit a nerve… My apologies to you. If you happen to still be with me, I hope you'll find a little more originality in this chapter. :D

**Star:** Thanks, love. Makes me happy. I'm working on it.

**SmarterThanYou:** I guess I've watched the movie entirely too many times! But I just love them.

**Emptyvoices:** Good. I hope you'll find the additions here pleasing as well. :hugs:

**BregoBeauty:** I wasn't sure whether I did the right thing, emphazizing that it was personal, or if that was obvious enough anyway.

OK, enough babbling. On with the fighting.

-

_This used to be the last chapter, but has turned out as a second last with my revisions._

Revised: 01-23-07

**Chapter 10 ****Find Me If You Can**

The door shuddered suddenly as Jackson attempted to break through it. Lisa didn't know why she lingered.

"Why did you come here?" she asked the door in a lower voice. There was still no answer, but she could hear him breathing through the wood, and maybe it was her imagination, but she thought she heard him inhale after her last question.

Lisa realized she needed to get moving.

"I'm honoured if you're going through all of this just to kill me. I'm sorry to say, though, you won't succeed." Her whole body shook with throttled back fear and anger. "Do you hear me, JACK?!" She slammed her palms against the door and then fled before he could get it open. She would need something to defend herself with.

Something to hit him with.

Hard.

_Wait a minute! I got something… _

Quickly looking through a couple of alternative hiding places, Lisa finally found her old field hockey stick deep in the closet in her old room.

_Never throw away useful stuff…_

**-**

**-**

A game of cat and mouse began when Jackson broke the lock off the door and found Lisa gone. He realised there were several entrances to the rooms on the upper floor and he cursed himself for not having thought of that a couple of minutes earlier.

_'I don't think that's what got you here…'_ Lisa's words. What had gotten him here? Was it just revenge? It wasn't like he hadn't been hurt before while working.

_Just not by a girl... _

_Some girl! _

He hurt all over, but the adrenaline rush of the hunt and the desperate feeling of needing to find HER gave him the edge he needed to stay focused.

_Leese, Leese… where are you?_

He thought he heard a noise and peeked around a corner, but no one was there. Growing increasingly tired of the game, he decided for another approach. SHE could be the one doing the searching for a change.

-

-

Lisa almost fainted with fear each time she glanced around a corner. Knowing the rooms like the back of her hand, she had an advantage over him. Still, with that long knife, he would be lethal if he got her.

Now he seemed to be nowhere. Everything was quiet. Her eyes fell on the phone. _Oh, why didn't I think of that!?_

Stretching an arm to get it, while her eyes kept darting around the room, she almost had a heart attack as it suddenly rang. Lisa picked it up, as silently as she could, without saying a word.

"This is 911 dispatch. Is anyone there?" a woman at the other end of the line asked.

"Yes. Hello," Lisa whispered, trembling, glancing around her.

"Ma'am. I'm sorry it took so long. We had an emergency downtown. It says on my report you had someone hit in front of your house."

_Forget that!_

"There's a man in my house who's trying to KILL me."

"OK - if you can, lock yourself in a room immediately. Units are on their way."

_Room, sure, that'd be great!_

"Just hurry."

Lisa quietly placed the phone back on the shelf. She'd lock herself in the room she was in right now. Obviously, he wasn't there.

She went for the only door that was still open, and started closing it. _NO!!!_ Lisa screamed out loud as Jackson suddenly appeared behind it with his knife raised. She threw the door fully open again, hitting him, and then backed away as the door flew shut and Jackson flung himself after her.

_Oh my God! He's going to kill me!_

She backed away, then remembered the hockey stick in her hands and raised it, trying to hit him with it. They danced around each other, Jackson slashing, and Lisa flailing. Finally, Lisa managed to hit his hand and Jackson dropped the knife with a growl. Distracted by pain, he took another hit on the shoulder.

Lisa chased him with the stick, over the bed, and down to the floor where he made an attempt to reach his knife, but Lisa slammed the stick over his hand once more. Hitting the knife, she shoved it over the floor and into the hallway.

That extra moment was all Jackson needed; he jumped up and grabbed the stick, yanking furiously to twist it out of her hands. Lisa held on for all she was worth: that stick was all she had left between her and a professional killer.

For a moment their eyes locked, hers frightened and his enraged, then he thrust forward and she lost.

Stumbling backwards, she hit the bed, falling on her back with Jackson on top of her. She yelped, gasping for air, as he pressed the shaft of the stick against her throat. Barely getting enough oxygen to keep from passing out, Lisa finally went still, staring wide-eyed up at Jackson. He looked down at her with victory glinting in is eyes, his lips pulled up into a smirk.

"I wasn't gonna get to you, huh?" he rasped, panting hard.

Lisa couldn't speak; the pressure of the stick was too hard. Involuntarily, she tried to swallow, but the action forced her larynx up against the stick and made it hurt even worse. Tears welled up in her eyes and she tried to squirm out of his grip. Her hands clutched at the stick and at his hands, trying desperately to make him let go, to let her breathe. Black dots were beginning to appear in the periphery of her vision. She clawed for his face and her eyes rolled back as she was on the verge of losing the battle.

_Can't breathe… breathe… _

_Dad? _

_Jackson… _

_No…_

"Please," she mouthed with great effort, trying to reach any humanity within him one last time.

Jackson, who had easily foiled her attempts to break free, gave her one long hard look, then relieved the pressure of the stick and hurled it across the room.

Lisa's desperate first long intake of air rasped as much as Jackson's. Then she coughed and coughed and tried to grip for her sore throat but Jackson grabbed her wrists and pushed them into the mattress above her head. The position reminded Lisa far too much of the rape two years ago. Letting out a long, hoarse wail of agony, she twisted and squirmed under him, trying to break free, but finally he overpowered her and held both her wrists in one hand as he straddled her hips.

Lisa stared at Jackson who smirked triumphantly, his intense blue eyes boring into her.

"What are you afraid of, Leese?" he wheezed. "A strong, independent woman like you. What's your worst fear?"

Lisa squirmed underneath him and tried to buck him off. His eyes narrowed as he regarded her, then he let his free hand caress her bruised throat with surprising tenderness, running down along her right clavicle where he gripped the lining of her top and shoved it callously to the side, revealing the scar in its entirety.

Lisa jerked. _What are you doing, Jackson?_

Numbly, she looked away; tears were slowly blurring her vision.

"That's it, isn't it? Your dirty little secret," he rasped. "That's why you're avoiding men? That's why you were afraid of even taking a simple drink in a public place?"

His eyes narrowed. "Are you gonna be honest with me now, Leese?"

"I -" Lisa swallowed hard and tried again. "I should've trusted my instincts," she whispered, her throat hurting too much to talk.

Jackson's hand closed in on her throat, squeezing it a little to make sure she knew who was in charge. "Always trust your first instincts, right?"

Lisa grimaced as her eyes darted up to meet his. He looked slightly amused. "Yes," she mouthed in defeat.

"I KNOW you liked me at first…"

Lisa turned her head away, humiliated; her whole body trembled with held back fear and anger.

"Just… just get it over with," she hissed as forcefully she could. "But make sure you kill me afterwards, It's…"

She looked up at him again with eyes void of all emotion.

"I can't live with another one."


	11. Don't Leave Me

**Author's Note:** Hey everybody who might be confused because of the sudden re-appearance of this story; I've revised the whole thing thoroughly with the help of my beta, Romany. The last chapter turned out to be suitable to split in two and thus this is now the last chapter.

Final revisions made 01-23-07

Thanks for reading everyone. Please, let me know what you think, and especially what you think of the last two chapters and if the split works.

//Nicolina.

**-**

**Chapter 11 Don't Leave Me**

Jackson snapped his mouth shut and stared at her. Her words had hit him like a stab in the heart.

_Afterwards? What the he- _

Then he leaned closer. "Leese," he rasped. "I'm came to kill you. I'm not gonna RAPE you."

To his surprise, Lisa relaxed visibly underneath him. Trembling so hard, she couldn't keep her lips and chin still, she finally let her tears flow freely.

_She'd rather die than be raped again_...

Stunned, he sat back a little and regarded her.

It hurt him to see her.

To his surprise he felt dirty and spent. _Why did I come here?_ He had never really had the intention to kill her, not before she stabbed him anyway. She had gotten to him, grown on him, during all those weeks he'd been watching her, and he knew he'd been everything but professional around her.

_I just wanted to see you... to see you regret what you did to me... and now... see what you've made me do!_

His hand started moving on its own accord. He reached out and pulled some strands of hair away from Lisa's cheek. She flinched and looked up at him, the first glimpse of her eyes was painful to see – she looked so forlorn. Then it changed into open surprise, and for the first time since the beginning of the flight, she showed no fear.

_Yes..._

He liked her strong and independent, when her will matched his own, when she put up a fight. He watched as she bit her lower lip and, with the fire back in her green eyes, gave him a challenging stare that stabbed him right in the chest.

"Lisa, I…" he swallowed hard. "I never meant for this to happen," he mumbled, not knowing himself what he actually meant. Then he leaned in and kissed her. This time they were in a bed, and he could feel a bolt of arousal surge through him at the thought of what he really wanted to do with her.

But he wanted her willing…

-

-

He was kissing her.

Again.

Jackson's lips had waited, as if asking a question, just barely touching hers. Lisa's lips had quivered, almost involuntarily, in response, and then he'd claimed her mouth.

Fully.

Completely.

Possessively.

Lisa responded more immediately this time. Her whole body ached from their fight, and she was high on adrenaline. There was something so intimate about having fought for life and death like they had, making life itself so crisp, almost palpable.

She had nearly jumped out of her skin when he'd touched her cheek, expecting a killing blow and instead receiving a caress. Then she had looked up into his blue eyes, they had seemed dulled with pain and – if she allowed herself to interpret it – a look of regret.

And then his full lips had descended upon hers.

It felt like an explosion.

She didn't want it, didn't expect it, and she couldn't resist it.

Yes, she had felt the attraction, the 'what if's' that had tortured her throughout the latter part of the flight. It just came as such a surprise that he'd felt it too.

They kissed fiercely, as if the battle between them continued. He still held her hands above her head, immobilising her, adding to the tension between them by making her more vulnerable, making her tremble in his hold. Making her more his...

He tasted good; sweet, male... HIM... her heart pounded harder as his body covered every inch of hers. She had wondered how he tasted. Not her conscious mind, no, but subconsciously, deep down in the recesses of her mind she wondered what he'd feel like; how his body would fit hers; if beautiful eyes would sparkle like they'd done when they had just met.

They didn't.

He looked just as cold and dangerous but with an added glint that made her tremble in his embrace.

With his free hand, he caught her hair, pulling her head back enough to make her scalp tingle. The sensation of his kiss, his touch, and his body made her lightheaded and sparked a flame within that she had forgotten about ever since...

...then.

_No, no, no, no... NO!!_

"Liar," she whispered into his mouth, then bucked her hips forcefully upwards, sending the unsuspecting Jackson halfway off her.

Lisa shoved him to the side and jumped off the bed, her cheeks flushed, and she refused to think of what they'd just been doing. Jackson flung himself after her and caught her in the upper hallway, just above the stairs. He slammed her into the wall and pressed against her, letting her feel his arousal, his blue eyes flaming.

His closeness made her tremble, and she fought to keep him off her, but finally lost as he held both her wrists against the wall. For a second they just stared at each other, panting heavily, then the moment broke and Jackson smirked, knowing he'd eventually win this game, mentally or physically, either way.

The look of superiority and cockiness on his face made her stomach lurch with both want and anger. _Fuck you._

"You're pathetic," she sneered. It was the only thing she could come up with. She wasn't even sure if she meant him or herself.

Jackson's nostrils widened in sudden anger. Pressing his lips together, his smirk twisted and she saw how the light in his eyes suddenly went out. With one vicious yank, he threw her around and shoved her over the railing.

Lisa screamed as she fell, feeling every single step as they hit her in the head or in the back. Dizzy, she landed at the foot of the staircase. The world spun, and in a blur she saw Jackson at the top of the stairs, looking down at her.

_Is he still around?_

When she saw him move, she moaned and started to drag herself to her knees. Her chest hurt and she was sure she had broken a rib; each movement intensified the sharp pain and every breath sent agonizing spikes through her body.

Hearing more than seeing him coming down the stairs, her eyes suddenly fell on a gun that lay halfway under a cupboard in the hallway. _It must have been the hitman's._ Lisa dragged herself closer and grabbed it, twisting around just as Jackson reached the lower part of the stairs. He stopped dead only a couple of steps from her with an incredulous look on his face.

Jackson held the knife in his hand, and Lisa pointed the gun at him.

Time froze and they stared at each other.

How did they end up here? Somehow it was all so bizarre; wouldn't their meeting have been a match made in heaven under ANY other circumstances? Now they were just a breath away from actually killing the other.

They were pulled out of their trance as the sounds of sirens approached in the distance.

Jackson cocked his head and almost smiled. "We'll talk again," he wheezed.

_NO! Not again!_

"Don't move," she said through clenched teeth. _Don't leave. No, leave. DAMN you for doing this to me!_

He regarded her and gave her a half-smile, then he started towards her – and Lisa shot.

_Oh, God!_ It was as much a surprise to her as it was to him. The bullet hit him far to the left in his abdomen and a small red stain spread slowly on his shirt. Jackson dropped his knife, but still made it to Lisa and kicked the gun out of her hands.

Lisa whimpered and tried to scramble away from him on her hands and knees. Jackson snatched the knife up from the floor and went for her. Gripping her by the hair, he pulled her head back until she gasped.

The hair on the back of her head stood straight up in fear; there was nothing that could save her now. She felt the sharp edge of the knife as it pressed against her throat, and the pain in her scalp was excruciating. "Oh, oh, ahh… Jackson, please," she whispered.

"HEY!"

They both looked up, surprised, at Lisa's dad, who held the gun in his hands. A second shot shattered the air and Jackson fell.

Lisa blinked and looked at Jackson, who lay gasping on the floor, and then at her dad, who had showed up at the absolute last moment.

Joe stretched out a hand as he glared cautiously at Jackson. "Come on, sweetheart. Come on."

Lisa didn't take it, though; she turned to Jackson and crouched next to him. They looked at each other, Jackson obviously in pain, gasping for air, and Lisa in agony, tears filling her eyes once more. She pressed her hands over the bleeding wound to the right on his chest, desperately trying to stop the blood flow.

"Why, Jackson?" she whispered, only for him to hear. "Why?"

Jackson was too weak to answer, but his eyes said more than words: he was in pain, and it wasn't only from the wounds.

-

-

_I'm sorry, Leese..._

-

-

THE END


End file.
